


Catching fire during an unexpected journey

by AsphodelRose87



Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hobbit - All Media Types, The hobbit / Hunger Games crossover
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Angst and Fluff and Smut, BAMF Katniss Everdeen, Crossover Pairings, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Dwarf Culture & Customs, Dwarf/Human Relationship(s), Dwarven Ones | Soulmates, F/M, Fruit of Coronavirus, Hair Braiding, Meddling Valar, Modern Girl in Middle Earth, Overprotective Dwarves, POV Katniss Everdeen, Possessive Thorin, Rare Pairings, Slow Burn, Thorin Is an Idiot, Thorin is a Softie
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:40:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 102,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23211913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AsphodelRose87/pseuds/AsphodelRose87
Summary: When Bilbo Baggins found an unconscious Katniss Everdeen by his doorstep, he did what any decent hobbit would have done: he took her in. When the Grey Wizard arrived to recruit our favourite burglar, he found out that the Valar had blessed Oakenshield's company by sending them a heroine from a distant future to aid the quest alongside Mr Baggins. How is everybody going to take the news? Is she going to accept the wizard's word for granted, or is she going to carry on believing that everything is nothing but another obscure plot from the capital to drive her insane? And how Thorin's company will deal with the olive skin brunette female warrior, that somehow manages to be more suspicious and suborn than any dwarrowdam they know.
Relationships: Thorin Oakenshield / Katniss Everdeen, Thorin Oakenshield/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 161
Kudos: 365





	1. Chapter 1: From the Nut to the Hole

**Author's Note:**

> This little plot wouldn’t leave me alone, so here am I, diving headfirst inside the fanfiction world once again. 
> 
> This is a crossover between the Hobbit and the Hunger Games. Here Katniss Everdeen, the protagonist of that trilogy ends up at Middle Earth during the events narrated during the Hobbit. 
> 
> I believe that you might be able to enjoy the story if you are unfamiliar with one of these two universes.

Not long ago, the rebels had exploded the Nut - the mountain stronghold which belonged to District 2. The Nut held the majority of the military power that enabled the Capital to control the other Districts. That created an enormous avalanche that was slowly killing the inhabitants of the Nut who were trapped inside it, in a similar way that a mine explosion would. 

Katniss had not agreed to that plan. Burying their enemies alive inside of that mountain reminded her way too much of the way her own father had died - in a mine accident around six years ago. But that was war, and Gale’s plan had the approval from the majority of the rebels who had the power of voting and making such cold-hearted decisions. 

At least, they had convinced President Coin to not obstruct the tunnels that connected the mountain with the rest of District 2. That way, some civilians would still be able to escape from that horrible fate. Katniss was holding onto that thought when her mentor Haymitch's voice came out her earpiece informing her that she was required to make a speech about the rebels' victory over the capital.

She didn’t really want to do it. The Nut’s fate brought back so many bad memories involving her eleven-year-old self. An innocent eleven-year-old girl who was staring helplessly as the elevators brought back up smoked miners to their families. Katniss could not help but think about that day, when she silently prayed that one of these nameless faces returning from underground would be her father. But he never came back up. He was dead. Buried underground with so many others. 

But Haymitch reminded that her actions that night could end up saving lives. So she agreed, and once again, she was going to be playing the role of the Mockingjay. As soon as she started speaking to her camera crew, two trains came out the Nut, side by side, bringing a wave of smoke with them. The people inside had come armed but also wounded. 

A single man burst out from the station. He was holding a gun with one hand and pressing a bloody cloth at his cheek with the other. As he tripped down, Katniss was able to see his wound, and suddenly she stopped seeing a man who was a mere puppet from the Capitol, one that she had to defeat; all she could see was just another victim from a mine accident. Before she realised what she was even doing, Katniss was walking straight to the spot where the man had fallen and was asking for her fellow rebels to hold their fire.

“Stop!” her words were amplified and broadcasted to the entire station - perhaps even to the entire Panen. She tried to ignore it as she approached the fallen man, who instinctively stood up on his knees and aimed the gun straight to her head.

“Freeze!” she heard Haymitch's voice coming from her earpiece, and for once, she had no intention of disobeying him.

"Give me one reason I shouldn't shoot you," the man's eyes were covered by a pained madness that only someone who had nothing else to lose could have.

"I can't."

The man seemed so disconcerted by her words that he almost dropped his gun. But so was Katniss. Surely she should be able to give him at least half a million reasons by now, right? Only that she could not. Not really.

"I can't. That's the problem, isn't it? We blew up your mine. You burned my district to the ground. We've got every reason to kill each other. So do it. Make the Capitol happy. I'm done killing their slaves for them."

"I'm not their slave."

"I am. That's why I killed Cato... and he killed Thresh... and he killed Clove... and she tried to kill me. It just goes around and around, and who wins? Not us. Not the districts. Always the Capitol. But I'm tired of being a piece in their Games."

"Keep talking," she heard Haymitch's voice coming from her earpiece again.

"When I saw that mountain fall tonight, I thought… they've done it again. Got me to kill you - the people in the Districts. But why did I do it? District Twelve and District Two have no fight except the one the Capitol gave us. And you up there? I come from a mining town. Since when do miners condemn other miners to that kind of death, and then stand by to kill whoever manages to crawl from the rubble?"

"Who is the enemy?" Haymitch whispered through her earpiece.

"These people are not your enemy! We all have one enemy, and it's the Capitol! Please, join us!"

Katniss looked at the TV screen, hoping to see some sort of reconciliation between the rebels and the remaining of District 2, but everything she saw was the moment when she had been shot.

  
  


\---

Bilbo Baggins was certainly having the most eventful week of his life. 

Everything started when he opened his door to collect the milk, as he did every single morning. However, that day there was an unconscious woman laying down on top of his daffodils and orchids alongside his milk bottle. 

The small man-folk woman had olive skin and black long hair that was wrapped into one single neat braid which was resting on the side of her shoulders. She wore armour and clothing of a very fine making. Her clothes made her somehow look like a lethal black bird. By her side, there was an impressive-looking black bow and a quiver full of arrows made from materials that Bilbo had never seen before. There was a simple leather shoulder bag by her feet, and he assumed that had to belong to her as well.

The hobbit wasted no time asking for help from his neighbours, friends and family. And in a question of minutes, they all had the girl comfortably placed in his best guest room. The old Chica Chubb promptly came along with his cousin Dora, and both hobbit ladies quickly sent Bilbo out of the room so they could change the clothes of the poor girl to something more comfortable and proper. 

Soon enough, Katniss was wearing a white nightgown that would drag around the floor for a hobbit, but for Katniss it was ending one palm above her knees and just a few centimetres from her elbows, exposing a nasty scar that she had on the inner part of her left arm. Despite her armour and clothes being completely intact, both female hobbits noticed that the unconscious Lady also had a very nasty bruise on the left side of her chest. 

Unfortunately, when Dr Proudfoot finally arrived, he was unable to wake the woman. But he applied a balm on her bruises, placed a catheter on her and asked Bilbo to keep the woman on a constant diet of stocks and other clear fluids.

The commotion at the Shire had been enormous, as everybody wanted to be able to help somehow. Some of the female hobbits brought her some better-fitted clothes for her size. Others, brought her more clear fluids than she could possibly take. They also brushed her hair, cleaned her body and changed her bedsheets. Most bound by curiosity and the desire to catch a glimpse of the ‘Lady Bird’ - a nickname she earned due to the strange appearance of her armour, as well to the golden pin she had placed on it. 

Bilbo, however, seemed to be genuinely concerned about her well-being. It took him five full days until he decided that it was okay to invade the privacy of the mysterious lady and search inside her leather bag for clues of whom she might actually be. 

Yet, her belongings brought him more questions than answers. There were two books, the largest of the two seemed to be a herbal and botanic guide - having a series of drawings followed by explanations about each plant property. 

The second one was more like a collection of clothing sketches that seemed to have been made especially for the girl who laid unconscious in his guest room. The fashion portraits in these sketches were like nothing else that Bilbo had ever seen - a good part of them looked devilishly scandalous, showing off more skin that was deemed proper. Despite that, he knew that these drawings were unlikely to have been made for a mere commoner, reinforcing the assumptions drawn by the clear fine making of her armour, weapons and the golden locket around her neck that she was indeed a Lady of high standing. 

Inside her shoulder bag there was also one change of clothing, including socks, underwear, a very plain dark trousers, a shirt, a belt and a brown leather jacket. There were also a couple of gadgets that he could not quite guess what they were for - a pair of the darkest glasses he had ever seen, something that looked like a mask, a piece of strong white rope, a metal water bottle and many other objects that made little sense for him, which did not surprise Bilbo, as he had found the weirdest piece of jewellery in one of her ears, the gold locket around her neck and another one made from that same weird material around her wrist that had glowing symbols that shone on the dark. He had no idea where in Arda she had gotten her things from.

Next morning when his cousin Dora sent him out so she could look after the ‘Lady Bird’ girl, Bilbo went to the front of his house to smoke from his pipe, which he hoped would help to clear his mind. Just after he lit his pipe, the tall wizard appeared and gave him an inquisitive look. Bilbo looked back to the tall old man who, like the woman lying unconscious inside his house, also wore an unusual set of clothing. The hobbit could not help but wonder if, somehow, this man could possibly be related to the mysterious Lady who he was lodging. 

They both carried on studying and analysing each other until Bilbo decided to break that uncomfortable silence.

“Can I help you?” Bilbo’s eyebrows slightly frowned.

“That remains to be seen. I’m looking for someone to share in an adventure.”

“And adventure? Well, I've been having more than my share of these since last week. All the commotion caused by the Lady Bird arrival has put me in quite a spot, I must say..."

"Ladybird?" It was the wizard's turn to give Bilbo a frown.

"The mysterious Lady warrior that appeared right here on my doorstep almost a week ago. I am surprised you haven't heard of it. Nobody else in the Shire seems to talk about anything else at the moment..."

“And where is this Lady now, if I may ask?”

“Ah, she is right here, in one of my guest rooms, being well-looked after. She has been unconscious since I found her, just here, by my doorstep. You wouldn’t happen to know who she might be, would you?”

“Maybe. I do know quite a lot of people after all. May I have a look at her?” the Maia requested, making a mental note of all the female warriors that he had previously met.

“Of course!” Bilbo said, sounding much more cheerful than he had felt in a while. He opened the door of his house gesturing for the man to come inside. “Just follow me, Mr…?”

“Gandalf.”

“Gandalf… not Gandalf, the wandering Wizard, who made such excellent fireworks! Old Took used to have them on Midsummer’s Eve. I had no idea you were still in business.”

“And where else should I be?”

Bilbo shrugged as he led the way to his guest quarters.

“Bilbo! You have a guest!” his cousin Dora said excitedly as she opened Katniss’ bedroom’s door. 

“Yes, yes. Cousin Dora, this is Gandalf, the wandering Wizard. He wants to have a look at  _ her  _ ...”

“Not the wizard who was behind old Took magnificent fireworks?” her eyes glowed in excitement as Gandalf politely nodded. “Let me get you something to drink, Mr Gandalf! Maybe some tea?”

“Wine would be very welcomed, Miss Dora. Now, where is this Lady you mentioned, Mr Baggins?”

Bilbo just pointed to the door which his cousin had left, and the wizard immediately invited himself in. Bilbo followed closely behind.

Gandalf looked at the powerless girl who was lying down unconscious in Bilbo’s guest bedroom, and he sensed some sort of ancient magic inside the room.

He noticed that an almost imperceptible humming was coming from her bow, drawing his attention to her strange belongings. He went over to examine her alien weaponry, but it gave him a small electroshock when he tried to touch it. Gandalf frowned at the bow and decided to examine her armour instead. He was surprised when he saw such fine craftsmanship - one that clearly rivalled the work of the mightest of the elves. 

Though it was when his hands touched her Mockingjay pin that was attached to her armour that the Wizard started having a collection of visions about the young woman’s past.

He saw a young girl learning how to hunt with her father; he saw she mourning the loss of that very same father while she looked after her younger sister; he saw when she almost died of hunger and a boy tossing her a piece of bread; he saw when she decided to hunt and gather food in the wilderness for her family's survival. Gandalf also saw when the name of her sister came out of the ripening bowl and then he saw the girl volunteering to take her place; he saw glimpses of the Capitol’s parades. The contrast between its luxury and the poverty of District 12. The Wizard saw Katniss’ training, being interviewed and shooting an arrow just next to the Gamemakers’s head. 

Gandalf then saw glimpses of Katniss’ fights inside the Hunger Games arena - he saw a young girl dodging fireballs, climbing trees, and then sending deadly wasps to the other tributes. He saw Katniss teaming up with the innocent young Rue, blowing up supplies and then avenging the death of her ally. He saw when she decided to go after the boy Peeta to save his life. The Wizard saw Katniss deciding to defy the Capital with the nightlock berries, and then saw glimpses of all the trouble she had got herself into as a result. He saw her going on tour, watching people getting shot. He saw Katniss being forced inside the arena yet again, then being rescued, watching her home district being destroyed, only to become the face of the rebels’ revolution, until she was finally shot down by someone she was trying to save. 

The old Maia’s eyes were opened wide with all that new information, and his attention returned to the unconscious Katniss Everdeen, with complete newfound respect. He walked back to where Katniss laid and placed his staff on her chest and a hand on her forehead before he started whispering old incantations in an ancient language, making some light come out his staff and go into the girl. Bilbo watched that magical display full of awe. In a matter of seconds, Katniss sat up straight, her eyes wide open as she brusquely came out from her coma. 

She quickly took notice of her unfamiliar surroundings as well to the three strangers in the room - the ridiculously short man with the weirdest pointed ears and largest feet she had ever seen; the equally weird short woman who was holding a tray of food by the doorway; and at last, the ancient wizard-looking who even though he seemed to be the oldest, Katniss had the impression - perhaps a gut feeling fed by the way he was holding his staff pointed at her - that the old man would be the hardest one to take down if she was forced to fight them.

“Calm down, child, we mean you no harm!” Gandalf said as he brought back his staff to its usual walking stick position.

Katniss quickly looked at the odd clothes she was wearing, and she felt the cold metal from the primitive catheter connected to a bucket by the side of her bed. She saw her clothes and belongings lying on a chair not far from the bed she was sitting on. She released a breath she did not know she had been holding when she noticed her bow and quiver were among these possessions. At least she was armed.

“Where am I?”

“You are in the Shire. More precisely, at Bilbo Baggins’ house. Mr Baggins kindly took you in when he found you lying unconscious at his doorstep,” Gandalf said tapping the shoulder of the short man.

“Are we… am I still at _ Two  _ ?” Katniss asked looking from one face to the other as she quickly removed the catheter using the bedsheet that was covering her to protect her modesty. 

“You are a long way from home, Miss Everdeen,” Gandalf informed her with a jovial smile “You are no longer in Panem. You are in a place we call Middle Earth. But do not fret, my dear, because you are among friends. And while I am unsure about which powers decided to bring you back here, I believe I have a hunch about the reasons why they decided to send you to Mr Baggins’ doorstep.”

Katniss looked from Gandalf to Bilbo and then to Dora. She then took comfort realising that both small people seemed to be equally confused by the wizard words as she was. 

“And would you mind sharing which reason that might be, Gandalf?” the male hobbit politely asked.

“That would be the adventure I talked about, Mr Baggins. It seems like we are going to have a burglar and a heroine after all…” the wizard mumbled the last bit more for himself than to the others present in the room.

“Oh, right…” Bilbo said not really understanding the meaning behind the wizard’s statement.

"What do you mean by ‘ _ I am no longer in Panem _ ’? What happened? Where am I?" the young woman demanded to know as she started to lose her patience with the wizard. Even though leaving Panem for good had been a not-so-secret dream that she had for a long time, she did have people that she cared about deeply there. How about Prim? Gale? Peeta? Her mother? Haymitch? And so many others... Were they also graced with this blessing of being removed from Panem as well?

"My dear Katniss, if my understanding is correct, Panem’s still to become. And perhaps, with a little bit of luck, some of the horrors you lived may never come to be,” the wizard then helped himself to the tiniest glass of wine and some of the cheese that was in Dora’s tray and toasted to Katniss before he downed the drink in one sip.

Katniss scowled and sighed with the lack of information from the odd old man. By the looks on the faces of the other people in the room, she knew that she was not the only person present who was struggling to fully follow the line of thought of that weird old man. 

“Well, that’s decided. It will be very good for both of you, and most amusing for me. I shall inform the others. Look after her, Mr Baggins. I shall be back next Wednesday with the rest of the company,” and just like that, the wizard left the room, leaving the three confused people inside it. 

"A company? No. No. Wait, Gandalf, what do you mean by coming back with the rest of the company?" Bilbo asked feeling a bit overwhelmed with that perspective of having a company arriving soon, but Gandalf had already left the room.

“Wait!” Katniss started standing up, intending to follow the old man, but as Katniss stood on her feet, she felt dizzy, light-headed and a bit wobbly. 

"Careful, Miss, you’ve been unconscious for almost a week!" Dora said, rushing to get the young woman back on the bed, but Katniss refused her help, deciding to remain standing.

"My cousin is right, you should take it easy, Miss… Everdeen, right?"

"Yes, Baggins, isn't it?" she asked and the hobbit nodded. "Can you be a bit more direct than that man and tell me where are we?"

"But that is one of the few things that the wizard was very clear about. You are in my house, at the Shire."

"And where is the Shire exactly?"

"At Hobbiton, of course! At the Northwest of Eriador, to be more precise…"

"Are we really outside of Panem?"

"My Lady, I have never heard of any Panem, but I can assure you that we are most definitely not there…"

She cursed in her mind as she slowly made her way to her belongings. Things that she hadn't even packed for her little excursion of District Two seemed to also have made to that place, wherever it was. Something seemed to be very off about what these strangers were telling her, but they did not seem dangerous. Well, at least these two little fellows did not look like they represented any threat. Despite that, she decided that she would keep her bow and quiver close, just in case she was misjudging them.

"Did anyone else come here with me?"

"No, I don't think so. At least, you were on your own when I found you by my doorstep,"

“And when was that?” 

“Six mornings ago…”

Katniss nodded, acknowledging Bilbo’s answer as she touched her fathers’ old hunting jacket. She needed to get out of that place and find out what was happening with Prim and her mother. 

“Listen, we have been feeding you with some clear fluids, but you surely must be starving!” the female hobbit said with a motherly warm smile. “Why don’t you change into one of these lovely dresses that our neighbours have gifted you while you were unconscious and join Bilbo and I for the second breakfast? I can stay and help you get dressed if you need help…”

“Thank you, but I think I can manage. I will join you as soon as I am ready.”

Dora and Bilbo nodded and left her alone in that unfamiliar bedroom. Katniss released her breath, feeling relieved for finally being on her own. They seemed like a nice couple, but she hated that feeling of being in debt. It was like Peeta’s bread all over again. 

Her eyes then rested at the two dresses that Dora had pointed to her. They were most definitely not from the Capitol’s latest fashion, but the materials used in its confection seemed to be more rustic and steady than what she was used to wearing before her sister's name came out of that cursed bowl. Luckily, she found one change of clothes that belonged to her among her things. That was a blessing, as she did not like wearing dresses and she did not want to feel like she owned them even more. Her clothes from District Thirteen, her Mockingjay's outfit boots and her father's leather jacket would work just fine.

It took her awhile to get dressed, as she was still a bit slow due to her week of coma. She found a hairbrush at her bedside table and decided to use it. She ended up braiding her hair in a one-side braid that she always wore. After a quick glance at the mirror, she felt like she was finally looking like herself again. She grabbed her bow and quiver and went to find Bilbo and Dora, who were just finishing serving up a meal at the dinner table. 

Katniss wasn't sure of what she expected of what the little man called second breakfast, but it certainly wasn't that. Food. Lot's of it. Enough to feed her and her family for an entire week. The only place that Katniss knew where such a thing would happen was in the Capitol. She tightened her grasp on her bow and started to scan the room with her sharp grey eyes looking for any sign of hidden cameras that were probably hidden somewhere. Because that surely  _ had  _ to be a plot from them to drive her insane, right?

"Are you all right, Lady Everdeen?" Bilbo looked a bit worried about the way the woman was looking at his home. The way she clenched to that weapon also did not please him in the least. However, his gut-feeling told him that she would not take well if he asked her to be apart of her weapon while they ate, and being such a polite hobbit as he was, he chose to ignore that.

The young woman nodded even though she still seemed to be uneasy about something that the hobbits were completely clueless about.

"Feel free to call me Katniss," she said as she decided to sit down and join them at last. 

Her hosts asked her a lot of questions, and she gave them evasive short answers for most of them. Bilbo and Dora did not seem impressed by her manners, but Katniss did not care the slightest. The young woman was starting to believe that somehow she had been captured by the Capitol, and Bilbo and Dora Baggins were nothing more than a tool programmed to make her feel safe and reveal the rebel plans and locations for them.

Whereas she wasn't being a very good talker, she was certainly being a great eater. One thing that years of starvation have done to her was making her really appreciate when nice food was freely given. She put sugar and milk in her coffee like Finnick had taught her, while she wondered if Peeta would approve the omelette and the lemon cake that were served along with berries, tomatoes, bacon and mushrooms. Well, she certainly did, but she was an easy customer when it came to food, after all.

Dora mentioned something about going back to her own home after that brunch, and Katniss was surprised to find out that they weren't a couple like she had assumed. Bilbo then promised to take Katniss to the street market once he was done with clearing up the dishes. Katniss did not offer to help, instead deciding to use that moment to carefully scan his home for clues about her whereabouts.

Katniss had failed to perceive it before, but everything inside that house seemed to be made for small people like Bilbo and Dora. Even though Katniss was most definitely not considered to be a tall person with her 5.2-foot height, she did tower over them. She failed to find any signs of hidden cameras, or any other electrical appliances, which she thought to be a little bit off. Not a single television screen on the site. She spotted a map on Bilbo's desk, and that was most definitely not the map of Panem that she was familiar with. 

“Are you ready to go?” Bilbo came back so sneakily that she had almost gone to her arrows when he opened his mouth. Luckily, he did not notice the change in her stance and gave her a warm smile as he invited her to follow him out of the door with a hand gesture. Which she did, but taking her bow and quiver along with her.

As soon she left the hobbit hole, Katniss was mesmerised by the beauty of the Shire. That was definitely not what she had expected. Those beautiful green hills, that stunning blue sky and bucolic countryside hobbit holes, with their freshly painted fences and colourful flowers. Vivid green trees, unlike anything she had witnessed before. She felt like she was inside a fairytale land.

As they walked down the hill, a bunch of hobbit children went running towards them screaming ‘Lady Bird! Lady Bird! Lady Bird!’. The youngest girl in the middle offered Katniss a bunch of freshly picked flowers. 

“Is that for me?” Katniss couldn’t help but smile for the first time since she had woken up and accepted the gift. “Thank you so much! You are all so kind.” 

The kids shared a giggle and ran back from the same direction that they had arrived. That innocent gesture made her feel slightly less wary.

“I should have warned you about that, Miss Katniss. You have become quite a celebrity here at the Shire. Everyone cannot have enough from the warrior Lady whose armour looked like a bird…” Bilbo said pointing at the children who were still running away from them.

“They are all so tiny. I am sorry. I didn't mean to be rude,” she corrected herself as she realised who she was talking to - the shortest man she had ever seen.

“Of course they are, Miss. They are hobbits after all, aren’t they?”

“What is a hobbit?”

Bilbo’s eyes were wide open, as he was finally getting the size of her ignorance.

“Small folk from the Shire, like me, my Lady; I’m a hobbit, the same way that you are a daughter of man, from the human race. What did you think I was?”

“Well, I was wondering if you were a genetically modified human, but I never thought that you would not be a human at all..”

“A modified human? What in Yavanna’s name do you mean by that?” 

“At the Capitol, people do that all the time. Some people actually pay quite a lot of money for colouring their skin pink, blue, green, among other things…”

As she started explaining the concept of genetic modification, the hobbit looked horrified with the idea of someone being genetically modified. That made him gain some trust points with her. 

If Katniss had any doubt about the truth on what the hobbit was telling about him not being a human, it certainly died when they arrived at the market and she saw a whole crowd of little people - well, hobbits - who were clearly not human. The market reminded her a bit of the Hob at District Twelve, only that it was a much-improved version of it, as people at the Shire actually had good quality food to sell and a decent amount of money to spend.

Katniss was overwhelmed by all the kindness that the hobbits were showing her. Even though she did not have any coin to spend at the market stalls, more than once she had been gifted with something different - a bar of soap, an apple, a raspberry cookie - as she followed Bilbo around the market. While they walked around, she heard two hobbits complaining about the recent lack of rabbit and goose meat, while she heard a third one declaring how much money he would be willing to pay to eat some stag again. She tried to hide her grin, but she knew that she was probably not doing a good job at that. She had a bow and a quiver full of arrows. If there was one thing she knew how to do well, was to hunt. 

She was determined to make some money, to pay Bilbo Baggins for his generous hospitality, but also so she could leave him and find some answers about the whereabouts of her family and friends.


	2. Chapter 2: Thirteen dwarves, a heroine from Twelve, the Grey wizard and a hobbit

Katniss was sweating, trembling, and hugging her knees tightly, as if her life depended on it. She had been woken up by yet another nightmare about the games, which was quite a regular occurrence for her. Despite that, she could never get used to that panicking sensation that dominated her during these episodes. Once she realised what was happening, she started focusing on her breathing as she had been instructed by the doctors on Thirteen. When she was calm enough to talk, she started to whisper and repeat these lines as if they were a prayer.

“My name is Katniss Everdeen. I’m seventeen years old. I’m from District 12. District 12 was destroyed by the Capitol. I am the Mockingjay of the rebellion. I was shot during the Nut explosion at District Two. I am in a place called Shire. I need to find my sister. I need to kill Snow so the Hunger Games can finally be over…”

It took a long time for her to settle down. These episodes tended to be much worse when she was alone. She had decided to get the communicator she had found earlier that day and try to see if she could get any signal this time. She sighed, frustrated as nobody answered. No signal, just as it had happened earlier.

She stood up and left her room, determined to brew herself some tea at Bilbo’s kitchen. She believed that the hobbit would not mind. Or if he did, his reaction could not be worse than when she shamelessly informed him that she was going to be keeping her dead game by his doorway.

Bilbo was certainly not pleased to have a dead deer and a bag of rabbits lying by his pristine hallway, but Katniss promptly had refused to leave it outside. She did not want to risk someone stealing it. After the sunrise, she was going to be taking that beauty to the same very market Bilbo had taken her yesterday, and she hoped to get a good price for it. She wanted to pay Bilbo back somehow. And she knew that she would most likely need some sort of currency if she wanted to find her sister’s whereabouts.

\---------

Bilbo Baggins was not having the tranquil evening that he had hoped. When the first dwarf knocked on his door, the hobbit rushed to open it. He was certain it had to be Katniss finally having the decency to come back home in time for supper for a change. 

Yesterday, he had waited hours and hours for her to come back and their dinner went cold. Only for having the woman arriving with nothing less than a dead deer on her shoulders -  _ a deer!  _ \- and informing him that it would have to stay inside his house -  _ his house!  _ \- until she could sell it at the market the following morning. 

Once she finally got some good gold from auctioning the animal at the farmers market, she tried to pay him -  _ to pay him!  _ \- for his hospitality. The only reason that he did not feel outraged, is that he knew the girl was completely ignorant about the kind nature of the hobbits. 

He only accepted a few coins because she threatened to leave his house and go to find lodge somewhere else. Bilbo could not let her leave, not when Gandalf himself had asked him to look after her. So he undercharged her, which she seemed to be unaware of. Besides, he was determined to sneak her money back later somehow.

Bilbo was unsure of what to make out of her. She was positively an odd one, refusing to let her bow and arrows away from her, even to use the toilet, as if she was expecting to be attacked at the Shire of all places! More than once, Bilbo caught her looking through his things as if she was trying to find something in particular, which did not seem at all right, in his opinion. She was excessively suspicious, and Bilbo felt like she was purposely avoiding giving away too much information about herself to him, despite the fact that he had opened his house for her. In contrast, she had some moments that made him believe that she might have a warm heart, like when she interacted with the young children on her way to the market.

Bilbo went to answer the door, expecting to greet Miss Everdeen carrying another bag of dead animals. However, the hobbit was surprised by the presence of a dwarf warrior on his doorstep instead. 

“Dwalin, at your service,” the bald dwarf gave him a head bow. Bilbo tried to recompose himself and hide his surprise.

“Bilbo Baggins, at yours.” 

And just like that, the warrior dwarf invited himself in.

“D-do we know each other?” Bilbo stuttered after he examined outside as if he was expecting Katniss to appear from somewhere and inform him that she had decided to invite a dwarf for dinner.

“No. Which way, laddie? Is it down here?”

“I-is what down where?”

“Supper. He said there’d be food, and lots of it.”

“H-He said? Are you sure it wasn't a she who said it?”

Dwalin gave Bilbo a little inquisitive frown, but then the sight of the small feast made for two made the dwarf go silent and start to help himself to some food. At the centre of the table was the fattest of the rabbits that Katniss had caught during her previous hunting trip. Bilbo had decided to roast it and place it in a bed of carrots, parsnips and potatoes. There was also a tray of roasted wild mushrooms, onions and tomatoes and another one with pan-fried broccoli, spinach, brussel sprouts, peas and garlic. 

Bilbo sighed in resignation and decided to join the mysterious dwarf who was devouring the rabbit as it would be no tomorrow. He sat down and started to eat some of the food that he had cooked earlier that day. Bilbo found comfort in the fact that it was probably too much food for both of them anyway. 

As his mother had taught him, when guests were involved, it was always safer to make too much food and have leftovers than having the shame of having your guests feeling hungry at your dinner table. 

The hobbit tried making small talk with the dwarf as they ate their supper, by asking him things such as ‘So, where do you hail from?’, ‘What business do you have here at the Shire, Mr Dwalin?’, but the dwarf seemed to be as monosyllabic on his answers as Katniss had been during the first time they ate together. By the time the doorbell rang once more, Bilbo was already feeling completely stuffed. He made his way to the hallway, ready to give Katniss a good piece of his mind about inviting stray dwarves for supper. 

“Katniss! Finally, I was about to…” but it was not the olive skin brunette that greeted him when he opened the door. 

“Balin, at your service,” the white hairy dwarf bowed his head in a greet to Bilbo. “Who is Katniss?”

“Oh, she is my… she is my guest. She went out hunting and she should be here by now,” Bilbo said, letting some of his worry to show.

“I am sure your friend will be fine, Laddie. These parts are pretty safe, though… if she doesn’t return soon, we can always send a search party. Oh, evening, brother,” Balin said as he noticed the other dwarf who had left the dinner table to greet him.

“By my beard, you are shorter and wider than last we met.”

“Wider, not shorter. Sharp enough for both of us.” And just like that, both dwarves banged their heads together, leaving a very confused Bilbo wondering what was going on inside his place.

“Uh, excuse me... sorry, I hate to interrupt, but the thing is... I’m not entirely sure you’re in the right house,” Bilbo said, but both dwarves promptly ignored him.

“Have you eaten, brother?” Dwalin asked as he led Balin to the table where there was still plenty of food available. 

“What a lovely meal you’ve made, Mr Baggins. Do you have any ale?” the older dwarf asked, making Bilbo bite his tongue, and quickly say, “Of course!” instead of saying what was on his mind. “Fill this up too, will ya?” Dwalin quickly added. Bilbo nodded as he grabbed Dwalin’s mug from his hands and promised that he would be right back with their drinks. As soon he returned from his pantry, the bell rang again making Bilbo jump.

“That’ll be the door,” Dwalin informed the hobbit and quickly returned his attention to the conversation he was having with his brother, leaving a fuming Mr Baggins to answer the door.

“Fíli.”

“And Kíli.”

“At your service,” both young dwarven princes finished their introduction by bowing their heads in perfect synchrony. 

“You must be Mr. Boggins,” the beard-less dark-headed Kíli said as he started to make his way inside Bilbo’s house.

“Nope, you can’t come in, you’ve come to the wrong house,” Bilbo started to close the door, but Kíli managed to hold it open.

“What? Has it been cancelled?” the young dark-haired looked shocked.

“No one told us,” the blond dwarf which had the most incredible moustache frowned. 

“Cancel--? No--nothing’s been cancelled!” Bilbo was starting to get really worked out by that point. 

“Well, that’s a relief,” both dwarves smiled in relief and invited themselves to Bilbo’s house, shoving their belongings at Bilbo’s hands.

“Unless… wait! Did Gandalf put you into this?” Bilbo said, getting angrier. This time, however, his anger was more directed to himself than to the dwarves. _ ‘I shall be back next Wednesday with the rest of the company,’  _ hadn't these been Gandalf exact words after all? Suddenly the invasion of dwarves in the house started to make sense. How could he have forgotten? Bilbo had completely forgotten to take notice of the wizard’s return at his house on his agenda, and now there was a company of dwarves coming to his house and he felt extremely unprepared. Bilbo was sure he would not be able to feed them all with that meal for two - well, basically for four - which was quickly disappearing from his dinner table.

“Of course he did. The wizard promised us that we would find the fourteenth and fifteenth members of our company here, at your place. And be careful with these, Mr Boggins, I just had ‘em sharpened,” Fíli said as he carefully placed some swords and knives on Bilbo’s hand.

“No, no, no! No more weapons in the house!” Bilbo whinged in frustration as he threw the knives and swords Fíli had given him on the floor. Bilbo could not help but think about Katniss refusing to go anywhere without carrying her bow and quiver. 

“Fíli, Kíli, come on, give us a hand,” Dwalin’s voice reached the hallway.

“Mister Dwalin,” the youngest dwarf greeted the bald tattooed dwarven warrior with a tap on his shoulders.

“Let’s shove this in the hallway, otherwise we’ll never get everyone in,” Balin pointed to Bilbo's dinner table.

“How many more of you are coming?” Bilbo asked, finally resigning to the fact that Gandalf had decided to set up a dwarven reunion at his house of all places.

“Thirteen,” Dwalin answered with pride.

"Thirteen!" Bilbo's jaw was wide open in shock. "I don't think I have enough food for all of you…"

"Are you joking Mr Boggins? Have you seen how full your pantry is?" Fíli raised an eyebrow as he came out of that very same pantry carrying a large piece of smoked ham with him.

And just like that, the bell rang again. Letting out a resignation sigh, Bilbo slowly march to open it. When he did, a bunch of Dwarves fell down on his doorstep, revealing Gandalf, who was standing behind them all.

“Gandalf,” Bilbo's voice sounded tired and frustrated. Gandalf just gave Bilbo an apologetic smile as he helped the fallen dwarves back up.

\------

Katniss was returning to Bilbo Baggins’s house carrying a large and heavy sack full of the dead game on her shoulders. She had been extremely pleased by the amount of prey that was available for her to hunt at the Shire. This place had more animals available for hunting than she would ever be able to carry, so she could be picky and chose her animals carefully. There was no shortage of food at that place, and unlike what happens at the Capitol, that abundance did not seem to be the fruit of exploitation of the less fortunate people. It was wealthy in a way she had never experienced before.

However, as soon she spotted Bag End up in the distance, she saw the figure of a short man who clearly did not belong to these parts, if the sword and axe he was carrying was anything to judge him by. As he pulled down his hood, she could see that he had long dark hair and a neatly trimmed beard. 

Katniss immediately laid down her game bag on the floor and loaded her arrow with the expertise of the huntress warrior that she was. She silently started to go up the hill that would lead to Bilbo’s house letting the aim of her arrow staying locked on that foreign man. She could hear the noise of a happy gathering coming from inside Bilbo’s house, and she was sure that the man was aware of the party as well, as he hesitated on knocking at Bilbo’s door. 

Katniss was unsure if he was a friend or foe so she decided to give him the benefit of doubt. She got cover on the shadows, which she believed would make it harder for him to see her, unless he had a pair of night vision glasses in his possession. 

The man was far away enough from her that it would be hard for him to attack her with his axe before she could send an arrow straight into his skull. Her bow was a much better weapon of choice for these circumstances. She was certain that she would have the upper hand if a fight broke between them.

“Stop right where you are,” she ordered him, just as he was raising his fist to knock on Bilbo’s door.

The man immediately changed his own posture, and he slowly started to turn to face her. At the same time, he discretely raised his right arm to reach his axe. However, before he could get a proper hold of the weapon, a sharp black arrow zoomed-in, grazing his arm just above his elbow, only stopping when it found Bilbo’s green door. The man not even flinched despite the injury which clearly was spilling some of his blood.

The merry noise that was coming from the hobbit’s hole instantly cessed, and the man shouted something in a language she did not understand. He looked straight into her eyes, making Katniss raise an eyebrow as she wondered if he had some sort of genetically modified eyesight that allowed him to see through the darkness. She already had loaded her bow with another arrow, and she could see that he was about to change his stance.

“One wrong move and this goes straight into your skull,” 

It was then that somebody that was most definitely not Bilbo Baggins opened the door of the house with a battle-axe ready for attack, followed by another man who had loaded bow. Katniss quickly rolled down the hill to find some shelter behind her own game sack as arrows zoomed dangerously near her body. Two of the arrows indeed caught her, but they bounced off her armour as if they were made from rubber. Despite that, she felt the impact, and she knew that they would likely leave bruises on her body later on. But before she had any chance to retaliate and fire one of her own arrows at her attacker, a deep loud voice echoed through the air stopping the battle at once.

“Lay down your arms, this girl is not your enemy!” Gandalf shouted to the small troop of dwarves who were quickly approaching the spot where she was hiding. “Katniss! Put down your arrow. Now!”

All the dwarves did as they were told, though they all looked at their injured leader as if they were waiting for further instructions. Katniss, on the other hand, refused to obey Gandalf’s orders. Even though she did not shoot, she slowly started to stand up, maintaining her arrow loaded and pointed at Dwalin - the dwarf that was the nearest from the place she had taken cover. 

It was then that Bilbo Baggins came running down the hill towards her for everyone's surprise.

“Katniss! I was so worried about you. Why did you take so long? I told you that dinner was served promptly at seven o’clock,”

“Do you know these men, Bilbo?” she asked without taking her eyes and arrow from Dwalin’s face. Dwalin remained still but was returning her calculated look.

Bilbo looked from Gandalf to Katniss before giving an answer to her.

“Yes, of course I know them! They are my guests, just like you are…” he gently said as he touched her hands, making her almost jump, as she failed to realise how near he had gotten to her. “Please, put this bow down before someone else gets hurt Lady Katniss…”

And she finally pulled down her bow and placed her arrow back in her quiver, making the dwarves around let a noise of relief leave their lungs.

“I am not sure what kind of game is this, but I don’t like it!” she shouted to everyone as she tried to spot a camera.

“This is not a game, Miss Everdeen. Please calm down. Join us inside and I promise that I will do my best to explain where you are and why you are here,” Gandalf promised.

“Very well,” she answered him, and just like that she grabbed her gaming bag, along with her weaponry and the arrows that Kíli had shot at her. She carried her hunting bag until the place where Dwalin was still standing and tossed it to him.

“Be a gentleman, will you?”

Dwalin threw daggers with his eyes at her, but he carried her huge game bag nonetheless. She walked away, turning her back to him, with Bilbo quickly following on her heels. She carried on until she reached the two younger dwarves that she did not know that they were dwarven princes and shoved the arrows on the hands of the one who was carrying a bow. 

“Good shooting,” 

“Nice armour,” Fíli was the one who replied, as Kíli seemed unable to do anything apart from looking at her in total awe.

Kíli was not the only dwarf who seemed to be hypnotised by the cool easiness of that young female warrior. Ori’s and Bifur's mouths were wide open in amazement as Katniss stomped towards Bilbo’s home.

“Which material is it made of, Lass, if you don’t mind me asking?” The white-haired dwarf Balin asked as she approached the doorway.

“I have no idea,” she honestly replied as she removed her own arrow from Bilbo’s door. As she examined her weapon she noticed some blood on it.

“Sorry about your arm. I wasn’t sure if you were an enemy or an ally. I hope it is not too deep…”

“Thankfully, your aim is not as good as your armour seems to be,” he scowled at her.

“Oh, but I did hit you exactly where I wanted,” she said, taking offence at his words. “As I said, I wasn’t sure if I wanted you dead or not.” 

“That sounds exactly what someone who wanted to cover up their bad skills with a bow would say. Tell me,  _ girl _ , have you fought many battles…?” Thorin replied coolly.

“I don’t have to listen to this…” Katniss snorted as she turned her back to him as she wondered if she should just grab her belongings and go back to the woods.

“Miss Everdeen!” Gandalf's stern voice called her attention “If you want to know where you are and why you have been sent here, I suggest that you stay. And being nice to our company leader might help you to make some friends...”

“I am not good at being nice. Or making friends…”

“Oh well, never late to work on that…” Gandalf mumbled as he turned to the injured dwarf, who she now knew that was also the leader of that company. “Thorin, you have my word when I say that Katniss' presence here is not a mere coincidence. It is fate. This woman is going to be a tremendous asset to your company. To disregard her abilities would be extremely foolish.”

Thorin grunted instead of giving a proper answer to the wizard. Regardless, he followed the wizard, the girl and Mr Baggins inside to the hobbit hole. 

As more dwarves came back to the house, Katniss tried to ignore the fact that she was in the spotlight, as every pair of eyes in the room seemed to be evaluating her. In order to alleviate her own tension, she grabbed a cloth that was laying on a shelf and started to clean her arrow so she could put it away.

“Excuse me, that is a doily, not a dishcloth!” The hobbit informed her as he tried to rescue his precious doily from her grasp, but she was quicker, taller and easily avoided him to take it away.

“Wait, I’m almost done” 

“Katniss! This is so rude! Didn’t your mother teach you better?” the hobbit told off her bad manners.

“Nope, I was mostly self-taught…”

“Well, that does explain quite a lot!” 

“Here we go,” she said as she threw the fabric on Bilbo’s hand. “You can put it back with all the other horrible doilies that I am sure you have got hidden somewhere…”

Some of the dwarves chuckled with her comment.

“Aye, the lass has fire!” Bofur’s choice of words was what made her raise her head and finally have a proper look at Bilbo’s guests. 

They were clearly not hobbits, but at the same time, they did not seem to be ordinary men. They were taller than Bilbo, but they were all short nonetheless. Herself being only 5.2 feet tall, Katniss used to be one of the shortest people in any given room. However, around these people, she was definitely among the tallest. The exception probably was the man she had shot and the archer. But they were not even taller than she was, only about the same size. Gandalf was the only one who towered over them.

The second thing she noticed about them was the incredible amount of facial hair these guys seemed to have. That was clearly not from the Capitol's latest fashion. They all seemed to be carrying weapons, and by the little display that she had witnessed, Katniss would be ready to bet her entire hunting bag that they all knew how to use them.

She was offered some camomile tea by a man who introduced himself as Dori, which she gladly accepted. While all the others seemed to leave their weapons in the entry hall of the house before joining the table, she had refused to do the same. While they were clearly old friends, she was alone. If any of them thought something about her refusal to depart from her bow, nobody said anything. 

When she arrived at the dinner table, she found the man that she had shot shirtless being treated by one of his companions.

“You were right, Thorin, it was just a long scratch. But I will need to stitch you up. I will do my best, but it might leave a scar…” the old man with an elaborated braided beard informed Thorin as he prepared the needle in a similar way Katniss had seen her mother doing so many times before.

As her eyes met Thorin’s, she felt a blush going up to her cheeks as the embarrassment of being caught ogling his bare skin took the best of her. She quickly turned her attention to the rest of the table, settling for a chair in between two empty seats. Her line of thought was that maybe they would leave her be and keep it to themselves. Most of the food seemed to have gone, but yet, someone managed to fill up a plate and pass it over to her, which she was grateful for.

“Fíli,”

“And Kíli,”

“At your service,” Both young Princes gave her a gentle bow as they claimed both available chairs on each side of her.

“Katniss,” she informed them as she helped herself to more bread. She did not feel like engaging in a conversation with them more than necessary. She was there only to learn her whereabouts and how to get her sister to safety.

“Lady Katniss, my brother is feeling a bit shy to ask, but would you mind letting us examine your bow?” Fíli asked her.

“I was not feeling shy, Fee! I just did not want to be a bother, that is all.”

“You did not want to be a bother? Since when do you care about that, little brother?”

“Sure, why not?” Katniss handed her bow and quiver to Kíli, stopping the discussion between both brothers at once.

“Wow, such a smooth finish… look at its string, how strong it feels! Look how sturdy these arrows are,” Kíli who was drooling over Katniss's weapon soon caught the attention of some other members of the company who were sitting nearby.

“I’ve never seen a bow like this. Did you make this weapon yourself, Lady Katniss?” Nori asked.

Katniss almost chucked on her drink.

“Me? No way. The few bows I tried to make were dreadful. This was made for me by my friend Beete,” 

“Your friend is a very fine craftsman, Lady Katniss,” one of the red-haired dwarves told her as he analysed the sculpted details at the edge of the bow that made it look like wings.

“He certainly is…” Katniss sighed as she stroked her bow while she wondered where her friends would be at that moment. Back at District Thirteen perhaps? Or were they still searching for survivors at District Two?

The dwarves seemed to notice that her mind was wandering somewhere else and in a silent agreement, they decided to leave her alone, which she was honestly glad for. She happily ignored them when they started talking about meetings in places she never heard before, lost kingdoms and lonely mountains. Not that she could fully understand what they were on about anyway. 

So Katniss decided to remain quiet, focusing her attention on finishing eating her soup. But when she heard the word ‘dragon’ coming up, she could not help but tried to cover a giggle with her hands. However, nobody else in the room seemed to find that funny, and all their heads were turned back to her. Some were in shock, but most of them looked affronted. 

“What are you laughing about? Do you think a dragon is a joke?” Thorin Okenshield raged as he tried to control himself really hard to not attack that human girl right there at Bilbo’s dining room.

“No…! Well, I mean… a dragon? Really? A  _ dragon _ ? Are you serious?” 

“Have you killed many dragons on your land, my Lady?” Fíli turned his head to face her. His eyes were full of hope and fire.

“Of course I didn’t!” she spoke feeling annoyed as she looked at Thorin straight at his icy-blue eyes. “I believe that everybody saw the footage that shows when I’ve put that aircraft from the Capitol down; but I obviously never killed a dragon, because dragons do not exist. Dragons are not real, right?” she finished her sentence by looking around the table, seeking someone to agree with her, but despite a couple of confused frowns and glares, nobody came to her rescue.

“They were real once, Katniss. In a distant past. A distant and forgotten past that now is your present,” as Gandalf spoke, Katniss felt a chill on her spine. The wizard then turned to the rest of the company, “Katniss Everdeen is from the future. The Valar seemed to believe it was fit to send her back. But from all places they could have placed her, they decided to send her here, at Mr Baggins’ doorstep.”

Some of the dwarfs started to look at her as if she had grown another head. Katniss did not seem aware of that, however, as her eyes were locked-in on the wizard’s.

“I see it as a sign that my hunch had been more than right, and the son of Belladonna Tuk, Bilbo here, were indeed to be your burglar, and Katniss, the heroine of this quest.” 

Katniss remained speechless, half-believing half-doubting what had been said. Soon, voices started to argue, if Katniss could or could not be from the future, or if she was truly a heroine altogether. The only female present just rolled her eyes and decided to ignore the discussion and carry on with eating her dinner instead. After a while, Thorin stood up, saying that the origins of that girl were completely irrelevant. He said that what really mattered was that the signs were clear and that they should take this chance to take Erebor back. 

Katniss was only half-listening when Gandalf gave Thorin a key and started to mention a plan that involved some sort of burglary and a certain light-feet hobbit. Meanwhile, her mind was wondering if she could have somehow been sent back to the past. Even though that mere idea sounded completely absurd, she had to agree that, so far, she had failed to spot any sign of electrical appliances at the Shire. Not even an old-style power socket. 

“Enough! If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar, then a burglar he is,” Gandalf’s abnormally loud voice woke her from her thoughts. Like the others, her eyes were wide open as she noticed the size of the wizard seemed to increase, almost if by magic.

“Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most if they so choose. And while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of a hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage. You asked me to find the fourteenth member of this company, and I have chosen Mr Baggins. The Valar saw fit to send Miss Everdeen to his doorstep, and it would be a fool's errand to ignore that. There’s a lot more to them than appearances suggest, and they have a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including themselves. You must trust me on this.”

“Very well. We will do it your way,” Thorin said straight to the wizard.

“No, no, please!” Bilbo started to shake his head, whereas Katniss frowned as she was unsure of what exactly was going on.

“Give them the contract.”

Immediately Balin got two similar parchments out of his pocket.

“It’s just the usual summary of out-of-pocket expenses, the time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, so forth,” Balin said as he passed both contracts to Thorin and to Fíli, who respectively handed them to Bilbo and Katniss.

“Funeral arrangements?” Bilbo’s face went white as he left the room.

“What is this?” Katniss frowned at the paper Fíli had just shoved on her hands.

“I think the Lass needs to borrow your ear trumpet brother!” Gloin said to Oin, making the entire company laugh.

“This is your contract for the Quest to reclaim the Kingdom of Erebor, my Lady...” Fíli informed her with a flirty smile.

“Which, just in case you’ve missed, is our homeland that has been taken by Smaug, the terrible,'' Kíli completed, giving her a wink.

She ignored their behaviour and decided to give the parchment a better look. Meanwhile, they could hear Bilbo’s voice reading the contract from his drawing-room.

“Terms: Cash on delivery, up to but not exceeding one-fifteenth of total profit, if any. Seems fair. Eh, Present company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence thereof including but not limited to lacerations, evisceration, incineration?”

“Oh, aye, he’ll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye,” Bofur casually told the hobbit.

“You all right, laddie?” Balin asked.

“Uh, yeah...” Bilbo answered though he looked about to faint.

“Think furnace with wings,” Bofur added.

“Air, I... I… I need air.” Bilbo started to walk in circles as he carried on super ventilating his breathing.

“Flash of light, searing pain, then poof! You’re nothing more than a pile of ash,” Bofur carried on, despite Bilbo’s state.

“Hmmm. Nope,” and just like that, the hobbit fell on the floor as he fainted.

“Ah, very helpful, Bofur,” Gandalf glared at the toymaker. Gandalf was about to go after Bilbo when Katniss’s voice finally broke out.

“What…?” Katniss looked back at the blond dwarf that had handed the contract, and shook it just in front of his nose “Is this an ill joke? A Quest? I don’t have time for this. I need to find my sister. I need to kill President Snow!” 

The members of the company were all taken back by this new piece of information about the girl. It finally struck them that they did not know a thing about her. The only certainty they had was Gandalf’s word that she was a heroine from a distant future. 

“Your sister is far away from your reach, Katniss, as she is still to be born quite a few ages from now. And so is President Snow…”

“But... there must be a way for me to get back to them. I am needed there. You don’t understand. There is a war going on…”

There was an urgency in her eyes when Thorin’s met them. He recognised that urge she was experiencing, and not only because he had felt similar things before, but also because he was feeling a similar urge now. The King in Exile just nodded at her to try to show her that he understood.

“My dear Katniss, what if the reason behind your presence here is to make such an enormous difference that it could change your own future?” the wizard urged as he walked towards the place where she was seated.

“I don’t understand…”

“Want you or not, this is your present now. The choices you make here will surely impact the future. Perhaps your choices could lead to Panem never coming to be…”

While every dwarf seemed to be taken back by the wizard’s new revelation, Katniss remained there as if she had been struck by lightning. Could that really be true, what that old man was saying? The mere concept of time-travel sounded bizarre to her ears. She had never heard of such a thing. But then, it was no secret that the Capitol liked to keep people in the dark about many things. 

One thing she was certain though, was that she had never heard about hobbits, or about such places like the Shire or Erebor had ever existed. Could this man really be a wizard, like Bilbo had sworn he was? Or had she just been placed in another sick reality show run by the Capitol? However, this time, instead of forcing her to kill tributes in a bloody bath, they were trying to play mind games until they drove her to insanity. 

“This… this is madness. You are all crazy. You are all trying to drive me insane. I will not sign up for this…”

“But lass, the Valar sent you here!” Kíli pleaded, but she was not having it. She stood up, in order to make her position on this matter clear to everybody.

“No! Absolutely no way! I volunteered at the Games to save my sister’s life. Then, I had no choice, but this… volunteering by my own accord… to go on a quest to kill a dragon... and for what? For a treasure? No, thank you! I am done fighting. Especially in a war that is not mine. I am done for the night!” And just like that, Katniss left the room, her head high and her bow and quiver at her shoulders. There was a small commotion of sad heavy-hearted faces, as they silently stared as she walked away from Bilbo’s dining room.

Looking defeated, Gandalf left his dwarven friends to look after Bilbo who was still laying down at his drawing-room.

“Our burglar is a scaredy-cat, and now we lost our heroine for good,” Balin said, lowering his head.

“Maybe for the best. Taking women to battle is never a good omen,” Dwalin nodded.

“Aye, she would be nothing but a liability,” Thorin agreed with his kinsman. “More distraction than an asset, if her aim was anything to judge her by…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you enjoying this? I must say, I have a whole new level of admiration for crossovers writers right now. 
> 
> Trying to get everybody in character is hard! Anyway, let me know how you think I have done on this regard so far. Stay safe everyone! Xx


	3. Chapter 3: Trouble, liability or asset?

After removing her armour, she changed back to the white nightgown that Bilbo and his cousin had given to her. She then quickly unbraided and brushed her hair, washed her face and other parts of her body with the jar of water and the basin she had in her room. She was glad that she had decided to go for a swim in a nearby lake and relieve herself in the woods. This meant that she did not require to visit Bilbo’s toilet and risk bumping into Bilbo’s howdy visitors again. 

Katniss then quickly organised her belongings, followed by a few attempts to use her communicator, but again, she had no luck. She was about to blow the candle that was the only source of light in the room when a smothering humming noise called her attention.

Carrying the hand candle-holder, Katniss opened her room door and started following the gentle humming that was giving her goosebumps. 

_ “Far over the misty mountains cold  _

_ To dungeons deep and caverns old  _

The image of the rebel’s aircraft destroying the Nut came to her mind. Katniss didn’t know who was singing, but his voice reminded her of her father’s. She felt a desperate urge to see who that voice belonged to. 

_ We must away ere break of day  _

_ To find our long-forgotten gold  _

She carried on walking silently and was surprised when she realised that it was Thorin who was signing. Gandalf was the only one present who seemed to notice the young woman hidden in the shadows of Bilbo’s drawing-room. 

_ The pines were roaring on the height  _

_ The winds were moaning in the night  _

The memories of the rubbles that District 12 had become after being bombed by the Capital invaded her mind. She could not do anything to stop the silent tears that stubbornly started falling down her face. 

_ The fire was red, it flaming spread  _

_ The trees like torches blazed with light”  _

She closed her eyes and she could almost see Gale and the few survivors he managed to save, watching their homeland turn into ashes from the distance as their friends and family were burnt alive. Her tears carried on running free as she looked back to Thorin and his men. 

And just like that, they were no longer a bunch of boisterous men seeking adventure and a share of a lost treasure. They were people that had watched their homeland turn into ashes just like she had. That realisation pierced her heart like a twisting knife, and she felt compelled to do something - to do anything she could to ease their pain. 

“Can we help you with anything, my Lady?” 

Katniss was taken by surprise when Thorin Okenshield addressed her, as she failed to notice that she had been spotted. All the eyes in the room were turned to her and she felt very self-conscious about her hobbit-sized nightgown that came up to her knees. She also felt grateful for the darkness of the room. With some luck, they would be unable to notice that she had been crying. 

“Can someone give me back that damned contract?” she demanded after taking a deep breath to hide her shaken voice. 

There was a little cheer from members of the company and Katniss witnessed some coins being exchanged by few of them. 

“What made you change your mind?” Thorin asked as he unfolded the parchment and placed it on a table not far away from where she was standing and pulled a chair and gestured for her to sit.

“I lost my homeland too. It was completely destroyed. Burnt to the ground. Not by a dragon, but by the Capitol…” she told him before she scanned the document trying to find the place where she needed to sign.

“By President Snow. The one you seek to kill,” Thorin gently concluded, and she confirmed with a nod. There was a deep recognition and understanding between them. Thorin knew nearly nothing about that strange human girl. But knowing that they shared the pain of losing their homeland was certainly something he could relate to.

“Just… if on the way to this quest I find any way to go back…” 

“You will choose your family as you should. I won’t hold you for it.”

She nodded before she accepted the feather and ink that someone handed to her. She did require a few pointers on how to use it, as even a poor girl from the Seam’s of District 12 had access to pens and pencils at school. So she signed her name the best way she could with Ori’s writing set. 

“Now go and have some rest, Miss Everdeen. We will leave after the first light,” he informed her as he waved her off to bed. She answered him with a short nod to show that she understood. 

\-------

  
  


Katniss almost felt happy when she was woken up at five in the morning by the alarm clock attached to her communicator. Nowadays, it was a luxury for her to be woken up by anything that wasn’t her nightmares. She was glad to see that it was still very dark, so she should have plenty of time to pack.

After packing her belongings and smuggling some other things, Katniss washed her face, braided her hair in its usual style and dressed up for the day. After glimpsing the mirror for one last time, Katniss noticed that her eyebrows had started growing again. The young woman smirked as the image of the disapproving looks and comments that she would have received from Venia and Octavia if they could see that, popped into her mind. So she dismissed these thoughts as quick as they came, as she left the room to meet the rest of the company.

When she arrived in the living room, half of them were still sleeping. The majority of the others seemed to be busy getting Bilbo’s place back to its original state as well doing some last-minute packing and sorting things out for their journey. Thorin was the only awaken dwarf that did not seem to be doing something important. He was just staring at the window while smoking his pipe. 

“Too important to help out?” Katniss raised an eyebrow as she approached the leader of their company. Thorin scowled and moved out of her way. 

Katniss just glared at him and went to the kitchen where she found three dwarves who were working on both cooking and cleaning. She found it amazing how quickly and in synchrony they seemed to move around. One man was throwing eggs straight from the pantry, while the other was catching them with his hands before he cracked them open at Bilbo’s frying pan. The third one seemed to be cleaning Bilbo’s oven.

“Hey, do you need a hand with anything?” she offered the man who was throwing the eggs to his cousin. However, when he answered her, with a series of gestures and foreign words that she failed to understand.

“What did you say?” Katniss asked, only to see him repeating the same incomprehensive gestures and words.

“Bifur doesn’t speak Common since he got tha’ axe stuck on his head,” the chubby dwarf who was mixing the ingredients on both bowls informed her.

Bifur called her attention and pointed to the axe that, to Katniss's astonishment, remained stuck in his head.

“Oh my, does it hurt?”

Bifur said something else that she did not understand and threw her an apple, which she promptly caught.

“Is that for me?” 

The dwarf nodded.

“Thank you,” she said with a smile before she immediately started eating her present. 

“He probably never had so much female attention in his entire life, lass,” said the man with the funny hat who was in charge of frying the eggs.

“My name is Katniss…”

“Aye, we know. Bofur, at your service,” he said, giving a small bow that included taking off his hat and putting it back on right away.

“What are you making, Bofur?” Katniss took another apple bite and tried to peak over his and the chubby dwarf's shoulders.

“Hamdu kharh ra hasas, a traditional dwarven breakfast.”

“Wait, is that my game?” she went over the place Bombur was packing away some freshly homemade jerky beef. 

“Oh, what?” Bombur turned around confused and saw Katniss examining the contents of the no longer full sack where she had stored her game. Now, the only thing inside were fur, bones and some of the offal meat he had discarded.

“You cooked my game?” she looked terrifying as she held Bombur by his collar and grabbed a kitchen knife with her other hand. All the dwarves were taken back by her actions.

“Release him. Now,” Thorin demanded as he instantly appeared in the kitchen. It was as if he could smell the disturbance from the other side of Bilbo’s house. He did not go to his weapons, but there was a regal authority in his voice that made Katniss drop the chubby dwarf instantly.

“He cooked my game!” she stormed angrily.

“Yes, he did. He did it because I told him to do so.” 

“I was going to sell it!” Katniss hissed before she stabbed Bilbo’s wooden chopping board with the knife that she was still holding.

“And when exactly were you planning on doing that?”

She opened and closed her mouth as she wondered what she should answer. She knew that she would find people interested to buy her game at the farmers market that happened every day near Bilbo’s house, but she also knew that Thorin was planning to leave that village before that.

“I don’t know. As soon as I found a buyer…”

“I am not sure if you can see how impractical it would be for you to travel with us carrying all that uncooked meat. Besides, it states very specifically in your contract that one of your obligations within this quest is to hunt and share your game with the company…”

“Oh, is that so? Interesting, I was under the impression that I had signed that contract after I had done my hunt…” 

Thorin grunted. Katniss crossed her arms in defiance. Every member of the company was wide awake now and they were surrounding them, holding their breaths as they watched their discussion as if they were witnessing a critical moment from the Hunger Games.

“That meat would have spoiled on the road long before we got anywhere near Bree. If anything, Bombur ensured your hunt didn’t go to waste by turning it into jerky,” 

“Thanks,” she turned her head to the dwarf she had previously tried to attack before quickly turned back her attention to Thorin, “but that doesn’t change that I am some coins short because of it.”

“The price you can get from it has only increased now. Because of that, it is only right that you pay my company for their services…”

“ _ What?  _ This is absurd! I did not ask for…”

“Of course,” he added quickly, cutting her off. “You do not need to pay us with money. You can pay us with some of your meat. Two-thirds of it sounds about right.”

"Half of it!" she demanded.

"Two-thirds is the fair price," Thorin said.

“Fine!” she said gritting her teeth and stomping away from the kitchen. She was still not happy, but there was not much she could do about it now. 

“Bombur, pack her share separated from the rest,” Thorin ordered before he went back to his spot, near the circular window.

\---------

Katniss frowned at the black mare she had been given. She had never been an animal person. That had always been her sister’s thing. Katniss on the other hand only saw animals as a good source of protein and the main income that allowed her to feed her family. 

The same tattooed warrior that she made carry her game sack last night had his revenge by throwing a horse saddle at her. Horses were not a thing at District Twelve, and Katniss was completely clueless on how she was supposed to attach the saddle to the animal. She had no idea how she was going to ride the pony altogether. And she hated not knowing how to do something. So she looked around, trying to figure it out by observing the others and how they were attaching the saddle and their belongings to their ponies. Despite that, she struggled.

“Do you need a hand?” Fíli asked with a wink, not even waiting for an answer before he started fastening the ladder straps around the animal.

“Thanks, but I am sure I could have done this by myself.”

“Yes, and we all saw how great you were doing it…” Kíli smirked as he gave her a bag making she give him a puzzled look. “Uncle asked me to give you this. It’s your share of the meat…”

“Oh, right…” she looked at the horse trying to figure out how to attach that and her other things to the animal. Kíli seemed to read her mind and started doing that for her as well.

“Hey!” Katniss said as Fíli grabbed the meat bag from her hands. It took half a second for her to figure out what both brothers were doing. 

“The right thing to say would be thank you, my Lady,” Fíli gave her a flirting smile.

“I am not a Lady…” she grunted, “and where is Bilbo?” 

“The hobbit is not coming,” Fíli changed to a serious tone.

“I bet he is going to change his mind, brother”

“A wager? Count me in, Lad,” the red-haired dwarf gave him a little tap on the shoulders.

“What do you think, Lady Katniss? Is Mr Boggins coming or not?” Kíli asked her.

She thought about it as she mounted her pony with much less grace than she had hoped for. Bilbo? That very same Bilbo that had almost a fit when she informed him that she would leave her game bag on his hallway?

“He won’t come,” she said, adjusting herself on her saddle.

“Tell me, Miss Everdeen, would you like to make a bet…?” Kíli asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes. She looked at him from head to toe before giving him an answer.

“Sure, why not?”

\------------

It turned out that Kíli was right. Bilbo did come after all. Katniss scowled and rolled her eyes when the hobbit asked for them to go back to his house because he had forgotten to pack his handkerchief. Bilbo was way too gentle for staying too long in the wild. She would not give a week until he decided to go back to the comforts of the Shire **.** That meant that she lost half of her jerky meat to Kíli. Well, that wasn’t too bad, considering the company were sharing their food supplies with her. 

What  _ was  _ bad, was her lack of ability at horse riding. She had no idea how to control the animal, and it was obvious to everybody. Still, she refused to ask for help, much to their amusement. She was suddenly glad that tributes were given chariots instead of having to ride the horses. She would certainly never have gotten as many sponsors as she had if that was the case.

“Ooo... stop holding her like that!” Fíli approached her and her mare and got the reins from her hand.

“And how am I supposed to…” Katniss started arguing, but Fíli cut her off and held her hands in the right position.

“Hold it like this. Now, stop pointing your feet down. Keep your toes up. Yes, but don't keep them too down in the stirrup. Yes, that is better, just bend your knees and keep your toes up. And stop leaning forward!”

Katniss tried to ignore some complaints from some members of the company and tried to follow his advice the best way she could. She wasn’t sure what all that fuss was about.

“Much better, my Lady,” Fíli gave her a gentle head nod.

“I am definitely not yours, and certainly not a Lady.”

“Lady Katniss,” Kíli started, and ended up receiving a mortal glare from the only female member of their company for ignoring her previous comment, “don’t they have poneys in the future?”

“Yes, of course we have. I just never rode on one before…”

“What do people use for travel then?” Bofur asked from behind her.

“Cars, trains, aerocrafts,” she started, but then she realised by the look on their faces that nobody could understand what she meant by these words. “I mean, big machines made by men that can transport people on land or through the air…”

“You mean, like flying horses?” Bofur raised his eyebrows in amazement. 

“Not quite,” she said, not much in the mood to carry on with the conversation. But there were way too many eager ears waiting for her to elaborate her answer. “This is a difficult concept to explain if you have never seen one before. Just imagine that cars are like small metal carriages that don’t need horses to pull them. Trains are similar but much longer, bigger, comfortable and faster. I rode on a train a few times, and it was so big that I had my own bedroom and toilet inside it. Aerocrafts are similar, but it is more like flying metal carriages… I only flew on military planes, but I am sure they must have some luxurious ones, similar to the train I described.”

They all remained in silence digesting the new information that she had shared, until a small young man called Ori that still hadn't directed a word to her, decided to ask her another question.

“Er… Miss Everdeen? Did dwarves create machines like these too?”

Katniss frowned. She had heard that word quite a few times now, but she still wasn't sure about the meaning behind it.

“What are dwarves?”

The disbelief and astonishment of the members of Oakenshield’s company was quite the sight. Even Bilbo and Gandalf, who knew her a bit better, were shocked. 

“Lass…” Óin started almost dropping his ear trumpet so shocked he was, “you mean to tell us that you have been riding with us for almost a day and you still don’t know what a dwarf is?”

  
  


\---------

Thorin was supervising his men setting up their camp for the night while Dwalin went to evaluate the woman's skills as she went out to hunt something for their supper.

The woman. Thorin did not know what to make of her. Stubborn as a rock. Reckless as an uncontrollable flame. Still, he could not help the mixed feelings that she seemed to ignite on him. 

The first time he saw her, he was immediately forced to feel the sharpness of her arrow. Despite his public disdain about her shooting abilities, after looking at the neat damage that most of her game had presented, Thorin had been forced to admit that her skills with the bow were in fact impressive. Not that he would ever tell her  _ that _ . 

When he and his men were discussing the most important quest of their lifetime, she did not show any interest. If anything, she looked bored. But then, something happened that made her change her mind that evening. It was then that he learned that she also had gone through the pain of having her home taken away, and that was something he could definitely sympathise with.

When she was first invited to take part in that quest, she was outraged by the mere idea of endangering her life for a bit of treasure. But where was all that speech about not caring about gold when she learned that he had ordered his men to prepare her meat for the journey? She was arguing because of a bit of meat! Meat that she clearly had no trouble to find and gather if necessary. That contradictory attitude puzzled him.

He decided that she had the potential to become a big trouble during the journey, and it was better to keep a close eye on her. Thorin immediately enlisted both of his nephews to do that for him. They were younger like her, and because of that, the dwarven king assumed that she would be more likely to open up to them than to any of the others. Then there was the whole affair of her obvious lack of knowledge on horse riding and how amusing that had been for the entire company. 

Her pride was astonishing. She would rather struggle than ask for help. Some of his men even made bets about when she would give up and ask for their aid. If his nephew hadn't taken pity on the poor poney who was having to endure her lack of ability, Thorin would be ready to bet the entirety of the Lonely Mountain that she would go through the entire journey, all the way to Erebor, without ever asking. 

  
Firstly, he thought that her mistrust on them was due to the strains between dwarves and the race of men. But then he learnt that she didn’t even  _ know  _ that they belonged to different races altogether. While some found it amusing, he found it a bit concerning that she had never seen a dwarf in her time. Did that mean that his race seized exiting or that they just went to seclusion? Either way, he had a feeling that she would not know the answer to that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you soooo much for the kudos and reviews! They really make my day brighter. You have no idea how happy they make me feel, it really helps me write faster, so please keep them coming!
> 
> Btw, is it only me who think that Thorin and Katniss are super alike?
> 
> \----  
> I'm using "the the dwarrow scholar" to translate some words.  
> I'm joining NaNoWriMo with this story. If anyone is there, please give a shout!


	4. Chapter 4: Ghosts from a future past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this chapter took so long! 
> 
> And thank you so much for the reviews. You had me dancing around my leaving room with every single one of them.

Katniss was very annoyed for having to hunt with that loud bald tattooed man - no,  _ dwarf  _ \- who seemed to be deliberately trying to be noisier than two Peeta’s combined. She felt a pang in her heart as her mind drifted to the baker’s son. The cruelty of what President Snow had done to them still stung deeply. She tried to brush off these thoughts because she knew they would only distract her from her current task. Not that it would be much of a help anyway, as she doubted that she would be able to hunt anything with Dwalin stomping his feet the way he was doing.

“Can you stop doing that?” Katniss snapped as another squirrel run away after being startled by the noise made by Dwalin’s heavy boots crushing a bunch of sticks.

“Stop doing what, lass?” Dwalin’s eyes sparkled with mischief as he tried and failed to hide his grim. Katniss noticed and frowned her eyebrows and stared at him.

“Grow up.” 

“Ye ur just too amusin’ for anyone to ignore.” 

Katniss gave Dwalin a deadly glare. At least he was much quieter after that, proving that he was indeed just messing around with her. The good side of that was that Katniss was finally able to truly show off her hunting skills to the old dwarven warrior. In less than half an hour she had tracked and captured two rabbits and a fox. She also had found a fig tree that they picked together. They were making their way back to the camp when Dwalin signalled for her to stop.

“Ye ur pretty decent with yer bow. But ye should not rely only on it durin' battle. Arrows run out, but the war carries on. Do ye have any other weapon of choice, lass?”

“I’m not nearly as good, but I can throw knives,”

“Show me.”

After considering for a bit whether she should oblige with his request or not, she ended up nodding in agreement and removed one of her hidden knives from the inside of her boots’ sole. She threw it at a tree that was about five metres away from the place they were standing.

“Na too bad. But yer technique can be improved.”

She nodded in agreement and went to retrieve her knife. 

“Can ye use an axe or a sword?”

“No,” she had taken part in a workstation at the Training Centre prior to the Games that had taught her the basis of sword and axe fighting. However, somehow, she knew that Dwalin would not consider that to be proper training. 

The dwarven warrior scratched his beard thoughtfully before he spoke again.

“We need to get back. Men are hungry', tha' meat needs to be cooked.”

As soon as they were back, Dwalin went to talk to Thorin and Balin, leaving Katniss the task to hand over her game to Bombur and Bofur who already had started working on that evening's stew.

“I’m sorry for attacking you this morning. I did not know that you were only following orders…”

“That is OK, lass. It is water under the bridge now,” the chubby dwarf said as he started to skin the animals she’d brought back to the camp. 

Katniss nodded and left the dwarves to work in peace. Before she would leave though, she grabbed two figs for herself, choosing to eat one now and save the other one for later.

Katniss decided to use the time before supper was ready to relieve her bladder in the woods and pay a visit to the small water source and wash her hands, arms, face, hair and refill her water bottle. She also tried to use her communicator, still without success, a few times before she decided to make her way back to the camp. On her way back, she found quite a few traps set up. They were somehow different from the ones she used to make with Gale, but the principle was very similar. She stopped to admire their work, trying to see if she could figure out some of their making processes.

“Like what you see?” Kíli proudly asked.

“I have seen better,” which was not accurately true, but Katniss did not want to give him a free compliment.

“Do you think you can make better traps than these?”

“No,” she plainly answered before she went back to the main camp and picked the seating spot furthest from the others that she could, without being far from the fire. Then, she got the rope that Finnick had given to her and started practising her knots the same way he had taught her.

“Don’t isolate yourself, Katniss,” Gandalf said, claiming a spot next to her, followed by Bilbo. “Loneliness is not good for your soul.”

“At least I know that I’m not going to let myself down."

"Yes, people might let you down sometimes, but they can also be an enormous source of comfort and joy. Stay alone, and yes, you will probably survive. Join the others and you are sure to live a brighter life…" the wizard finished by lighting his smoking pipe. Bilbo copied the wizard and ended up doing the same thing. Katniss, on the other hand, remained in silence fiddling with her piece of rope.

"Miss Katniss?" Bilbo started a bit wary "Would you mind teaching me how to tie knots like these?"

"Sure," she answered after hesitating for a second. "Come here, let's start with a bowline knot."

Overall, Bilbo was a good student. even though she did not consider herself to be a competent teacher. They remained like that for a while until Bifur and Bofur arrived, carrying two bowls of stew each, and giving one to Bilbo and one to Katniss. The hot stew went down her stomach like a warm hug after a very long day. It reminded her of Greasy Sae’s stews, and if she closed her eyes, she could almost hear the noises and smells of the Hob. That was a feeling she had been longing for months - it felt like home.

“So lass, tell us…” Bofur asked, taking her away from her daydreaming, “you said you are not a Lady, but why do you dress up like one?”

“I hardly think that my armour can be considered a Lady’s attire…”

“It surely is from a fine making,” Balin, the white-bearded dwarf decided to join their conversation. 

“That is true,” Katniss stroked her own armour with candour. That was Cinna’s last gift for her. Her Mockingjay outfit, so she could be the face of the revolution. “Let’s just say that I once had a good friend who liked to make me nice dresses.”

“Nice dresses? You mean more than one? Lass, and you want us to believe that you are not a Lady from high-standing?” Bofur asked.

Katniss chuckled on her stew. Technically, her status as a victor and the Mockingjay of the rebellion made her somewhat important, but these were titles that she would rather ignore and turn down.

“My mother was until she married my father. He was a miner.” 

“We all have seen this story before, haven’t we, lads?” Balin said, giving a meaningful look to the three Durin’s heirs. 

“Aye, mother and father!” Kíli gave Katniss a warm smile. “Our adad was a miner too…”

“That he was. Until he married Lady Dís,” Balin concluded.

“Our amad” Kíli’s eyes sparkled with joy. “One day I am going to live a love story as beautiful as theirs.”

All the dwarves immediately started whistling, laughing and making silly noises. Katniss just shook her head but she could not avoid the sympathetic smile that came to her lips. Soon, both brothers started singing a love ballad about a dwarven Princess that ended up marrying a miner, a song clearly made for their parents. 

Even Thorin, who was usually grumpy, seemed to be in high spirits. Their eyes met for a moment and Katniss felt some discomfort in her stomach that she was sure had to do with their argument early on. Thorin’s expression was neutral, but he refused to move his sparkly blue eyes away from her as if they were in the middle of a staring contest. In the end, it was Katniss who decided to move her eyes away before someone else noticed and things started to get awkward. Before anyone could object, she quickly grabbed everyone’s bowls and went back to their water source to wash them up.

\----------------

“Bilbo, don’t listen to them," Katniss urged the hobbit. "Just take the blanket, it is yours by right. I took it from your house without asking for permission. I’m used to sleeping in the wild. I used to do that all the time. I will be fine…”

“Mr Boggins, don’t listen to her. She is a Lady, she needs to be looked after…” Fíli said.

“Repeat that again and I swear you will see who is the Lady who needs to be looked after!” Katniss spat at him.

“My brother is right, she doesn’t even have a sleeping mat, for Mahal’s sake!” Kíli decided to join the argument.

“If both of you carry on talking about me as if I am not here, I swear you are going to regret it!”

“ _ Shazara! _ ” Thorin commanded both his nephews who were quite at once. “Fíli, give her your blanket. Kíli, give her your mat. We can get new supplies when we pass through Bree.”

“Didn’t you hear anything I said?” she yelled at Thorin. “I’m not taking anyone’s blanket nor mat. Not Bilbo’s, nor anyone else’s! I’m sleeping with my head on my bag, and my father’s jacket over me and that is final!”

And with that said, Katniss laid down her head on her bag like she said she would, and covered herself up with her dad’s old hunting jacket and closed her eyes. When she felt someone placing a blanket on her, she immediately removed it and threw it as far as she could. Nobody else attempted to cover her again after that.

\--------------

_ Katniss was inside the Arena of her first Hunger Games. She had just finished blowing up the career pack stack of supplies and she needed to find Rue. She was following the sounds of the mockingjays, trying to find her little ally and prevent Rue’s death this time. Only that when Katniss finally found the fishing net, it was her sister who was trapped inside it.  _

_ “PRIM! PRIM!” Katniss shouted.  _

_ “Katniss!” her sister shouted back, and Katniss noticed that she was surrounded by enormous wolf mutts that looked like her friends and family. They started attacking them, and she started fighting for her life with everything she had. Until the sound of a cannon made all the mutts start running away from them. Katniss knew that was not a good sign, so she grabbed her knife and started trying to release her sister as quickly as she possibly could.  _

_ “Katniss…”  _

_ “We need to get out of here, Prim!”  _

_ It was then that Katniss realised that there was a gigantic dragon, a beast as huge as an aircraft, flying in their direction straight from the sky.  _

_ “Katniss.”  _

_ “No, no, PRIM!”  _

_ “Wake up Katniss,” a stronger male voice that she vaguely recognised came out of her sister’s mouth. The beast had landed not far away from them.  _

_ “Prim…”  _

“Wake up,” Thorin’s voice gently brought her back to reality. Katniss opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was Thorin’s piercing blue eyes. Then she noticed that she was also surrounded by thirteen dwarves, one hobbit and a wizard, all looking deeply concerned. She tried to sit down, not realising that she was hyperventilating and shaking.

“The Lass is having soldier’s fatigue…” she heard someone whispering, but she couldn’t point out who.

“Óin, have a look at her. Everybody else, back to sleep,” Thorin ordered, and all the others obliged.

Katniss was sitting on the ground, hugging both of her legs tightly in a sitting fetal position. Óin quickly examined her, placed his hands on her forehead and started to whisper some words that she did not understand, but that somehow seemed to soothe her soul. And her breathing was slowly returning to normal, though she still did not dare to open her eyes again just yet.

“I’m going to brew her a nerve-calming concoction. Can you stay with the Lass for a moment?” Óin asked Thorin, who nodded in agreement.

The king in exile sat down next to her, near enough to be able to hear the phrases that she was carrying on whispering as if it was a mantra.

“My name is Katniss Everdeen. I’m seventeen years old. I’m from District 12. I was a tribute during the Hunger Games. I escaped. District 12 was destroyed by the Capitol. I am the Mockingjay of the rebellion. I was shot during the Nut explosion at District Two. I am on a quest with thirteen dwarves, a hobbit and a wizard. I need to find my sister. I need to kill Snow so that the Hunger Games can be over…”

“ _ Thank you Óin, I can take over from here _ …” Thorin said in khuzdul as he took the wooden cup from his healer’s hand. The sounds of that foreign dwarven language removed Katniss away from her trance. 

Óin gave Thorin a small nod and went back to his own sleeping mat. The dwarven king returned his attention back to the small dark-haired woman, only to find that she had finally opened her eyes again and was observing him. 

“How much did you hear?” she inquired.

“Everything.”

She gave a small frustration sigh. He had a worried expression on his face and a hint of something that looked a bit like pity. She frowned back at him, she did not need or want to have anyone pitying her fate.

“Here, drink this,” he whispered offering the cup to her. 

“What is it?” she took it despite looking suspiciously at him.

“Medicine.” 

She smelled it as if trying to find something wrong with it.

“I’m not poisoning you. And I find it offensive that you may be thinking so lowly of us.”

“When you have so many people trying to kill you, you learn to be on your guard.”

“If I wanted to see you dead, you would die through my axe or sword. Killing through poison is for the coward, for the unworthy,”

“Now...  _ that  _ is something that we can definitely agree with,” she said, thinking about what Finnick had revealed about President Snow's favourite way of killing his political opponents. She gave Thorin a small cheer with her medicine cup and downed its contents in one go. 

“Have some sleep.”

"No way,” and she promptly stood up, fetched her bow and quiver, went to her bag and grabbed her night-vision glasses, which she immediately put on her face.

“What do you think you are doing?” he gave her a stern glare.

“Isn't it obvious? I’m patrolling with you and Goldilocks over there,” she whispered pointing at Fíli who was throwing them inquisitive glances from the other side of the camp.

“No, you are  _ not _ .”

“Fine, I’m going on a hunt, then…” she turned her back to him, just to have him grabbing her arms and forcing her to face him.

“You are not going anywhere.”

“Excuse me?”

“It is not safe.”

“Then let me join the patrol.”

Thorin grunted in frustration before he turned to his heir and quickly exchanged some signs in iglishmêk with him. Katniss frowned. She did not understand their way of communication in the slightest, and she did not like being kept in the dark. In the end, she only realised that she was having her way when Fíli bowed his head to them and tucked himself back on his sleeping mat. Thorin went to the place that Fíli had previously been standing, sat on a rock turning his back to the company and lighted his pipe.

Katniss switched on her night vision glasses, enabling her to clearly see the entire company with details in black and white. She left her bow loaded, just in case, but pointed at the ground. She went over to the place where Thorin was sitting down, and she sat in a place near to where he was, but she turned her back down to him and focused on the company instead. 

They stayed there, in silence, for several minutes. Katniss decided to play around with some of the features from her glasses and she noticed that dwarves' body temperature seemed to be much higher than Bilbo’s, Gandalf’s and her own. She looked at Thorin, who was sitting down next to her, and noticed that his temperature was also much higher than a normal human. She half-thought about making a comment about it, but she ended up deciding against it, as Thorin looked like he was enjoying the silence. However, to her surprise, it was  _ he  _ who started talking to her.

“You look ridiculous with this thing covering your eyes.”

“They have night-vision. They are military glasses. It allows me to see in the dark,” she removed them and offered to Thorin for him to have a better look at it. Thorin took the object and started analysing it as if he was evaluating a piece of precious jewellery. Encouraged by Katniss, he brought it to his own eyes.

“I don’t see any difference…”

“Are you sure? Let me have a look,” she got it from him and placed it on her own face, and it was working perfectly fine. “I don’t understand, it is working for me…”

“Could it be because dwarves already have night-vision naturally?” 

“Do you really?”

He confirmed with a head nod.

"Try that again. There are other features you might find interesting…"

He did, and she helped him to adjust it, showing off the zoom and recording mechanisms and the infrared vision. He gave a small grunt of approval before he gave them back to her. They went back to silence and remained like that for what felt like hours. 

Katniss did not like that boring silence. It made her mind drift back to Peeta being tortured and brain-washed by the Capitol; to her sister Prim having to look after their mother without having her around this time; to Cinna, who gave his life to ignite the rebellion; to Darius, who was made an avox by Snow; Gale, who was fighting in a war without her bow to protect him this time. So many people that had their lives ruined by the Capitol. 

"Your mind is troubled," Thorin concluded after a quick glance at her. "Would you like to talk about it?"

"No, not really," she quickly answered, but he gave her an inquisitive look and Katniss felt the need to explain her decision to him. "It is not like you would be able to understand anything that I went through anyway…"

Thorin put down his pipe and turned all his attention to her.

“Try me.”

Katniss' heart started beating fast and she could not figure out why. 

“I wouldn’t know where to start…”

“When you were mumbling things about your life, over there,” Thorin pointed to the place she had previously been sleeping. “You mentioned some games that you took part in…”

Katniss went pale.

“The Hunger Games,” she forced herself to whisper. “Are you sure you want to learn about it? Because I would not want to know. Especially if I thought that was the future…”

“Remember, the wizard believes that you might be able to change that.” 

Katniss gave him a funny look. She did not want to point it out that she was still struggling to get her head around on that absurd time-travel idea. The concept that they could belong to different races was already too much for her to take in.

“All right. You want to learn about the Hunger Games, I will tell you all about it. Just, beware that you have been warned.” 

And so she told him. She started by narrating what the Capitol called the Dark Days, or when the Districts were rebelling against the Capitol of Panem. Then, she briefly told him how Thirteen had betrayed the rebellion to save their own skin and about the sanctions the Capitol gave for the remaining districts, including the Hunger Games. 

The rage that Thorin felt when he learned that these ‘games’ involved forcing people from the Districts to send their own children to fight to the death inside of an arena, was monumental. Children were cherished by every dwarrow and protected through all costs. Learning that the people from that Capitol saw these deaths like a theatrical circus only increased his ire. He stood up and started pacing near her, in order to try to calm down his nerves. Katniss was amused by his reaction. Surely, she had warned him that her tale was definitely not all roses, but she had not expected for him to actually care so fiercely about it. 

“You said you were a tribute. So your name was drawn during this ripening?”

“Actually, I volunteered. It was my younger sister’s name, Prim, that was drawn. I could not let her compete, Thorin. Prim is such a gentle soul. She wouldn’t have stood a chance. She would have died within minutes…”

Thorin could certainly relate to that. He knew that he would undoubtedly have done the same thing if any of his siblings were in that situation. If his nephews had been in that position... he would likely have started a war if anyone did as much as threatening to hurt one single hair of their beard.

“How about your parents? Didn’t they think about volunteering for you as well?”

“It is not allowed. You need to be between twelve and eighteen years old to compete. My father died when I was eleven-years-old anyway, a mining accident. And my mother… well, she basically died alongside him. She was nothing but an empty shell for years.”

The loss of a One. Thorin had never felt that particular pain, but he had witnessed his sister Dís going through it. It had taken her two decades for her to become a shadow of what she had been before her husband’s death. During that time, Thorin had taken the responsibility of raising his young nephews as if they were his own children. 

“Who looked after you while your mother grieved?” 

After hearing that Katniss could not help the dry laugh from escaping her lips.

“I looked after us. I’m the one who went to the wild with my father’s bow and brought food back to our table. I looked after me, my mother and my sister.”

Having had the responsibility of looking after his people since he was mere fifty-three years old, Thorin knew well enough how it was like having to grow up ahead of time. And she had to do so when she was only eleven-years-old. He knew that was too young, even for a daughter of man. Mahal, she was  _ still  _ so young! Only barely old enough to be considered a young adult on her race. Despite that enormous age gap, he saw himself in her. They had more in common than she could possibly fathom.

“The horrors you have faced are worse than I had foreseen, Miss Everdeen,”

“I tried to warn you. The future is pretty grim.”

“It won’t be grim no more. You will change it, or at least the wizard believes that you can do it.”

She closed her eyes, imagining how good it would be if that was true. A world without the Hunger Games. She took a deep breath inhaling the smell of the surrounding trees, the tobacco from Thorin’s pipe and the firewood which was still burning. She opened her eyes and saw that a new day was slowly trying to rise on the horizon. She felt hopeful. She felt a calm that she had not felt in a long time. That peace brought her guard down and allowed her tiredness to get the best of her. And before she could realize what was happening, her head fell over Thorin’s shoulders as the sleep finally claimed her.

\----------

Thorin felt his body freeze when he felt the human girl invading his personal space in a way that very few people would dare. He felt a sense of pride that she would let her guard down like that near him. If anything, Katniss Everdeen definitely did not seem the kind of person that would freely give her trust away for anyone like that.

Wanting to avoid the gossip that was sure to erupt if anyone caught them in that state, he quickly moved her off his shoulders and carefully adjusted her body, laying her on the ground with her shoulder bag as a pillow the best way he could muster. Only that when he looked up, he saw that he had indeed been caught. His friend and adviser Balin was giving him an inquisitive look. Thorin sighed in resignation. He would have no choice but explain what had happened to his old friend. At least he knew that he could always count on Balin for discretion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your thoughts about this chapter? After re-writing and editing it a couple of times I am still a bit unsure about it.. I am unsure about the pace..


	5. Chapter 5: Safe and Sound

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Good Friday for those who celebrate it. If you don't, happy Friday anyway :)

“Thorin, don’t you think that we should wake her up now?” Balin asked for the third time. The king in exile had been insistent that it was in Katniss best interest to miss breakfast with the company in exchange for extra minutes of sleep “She might need some time to recompose herself before we start the journey…”

This time, Thorin nodded in agreement and taking the hint, Balin went over to wake up the human woman who was still laying down at the same spot that Thorin had placed her.

“Miss Katniss… Lass… wake up,” Balin gently placed a hand on her shoulders as he tried to wake her up. 

“How long have I been sleeping for? Where is Thorin?” she said in the middle of a yawn.

“You have been sleeping for almost two hours, I think. Now, we are leaving in ten minutes. Here, I saved you some breakfast…”

“Thank you,” she quickly stood up and took the piece of bread and fruit from Balin’s hand and placed it inside her shoulder bag before she strapped it around her neck, grabbed her weapon and started running her way into the woods.

Ten minutes were just enough time for her to quickly do her business, clean herself at the water source and get back to the camp. But when she put her pants down, she realised that her monthly visitor had arrived. Katniss grunted in annoyance. Now she needed to add changing underwear and fixing a way to improvise some womanly cloth to the things she needed to do before she could go back to the camp. There was no way that she would be back in time. 

\------------------

His men were already on their ponies and everything was packed away. They were all ready to leave. The only problem was that they were one company member short.

“Balin, where is she?” 

“She went to the woods as soon as she woke up. I haven’t seen her since…”

Thorin grunted with frustration. Even though he hoped it was nothing serious, he knew he would be possessed if she was deliberately delaying them for no valid reason. 

“Dwalin, Kíli,” Thorin said as he dismounted his poney. Both warriors followed his lead inside the woods, trying to track the whereabouts of their heroine. The water source was an obvious candidate to start an investigation, and fortunately, it was exactly where she was. They couldn’t have a full view of her body, as she seemed to be intentionally hiding it from them.

“Katniss,” Thorin started to shout at her, but he was cut off by the only female member of his company.

“Don’t come any further. Go back to the camp, I will join you as soon as I can.”

“What is the matter?” Thorin asked regardless.

“Trust me - you don’t really wanna know…”

“Lady Katniss… is that blood on your hands?” Kíli’s mount was wide open.

“Are ye hurt, lass?” Dwalin asked full of concern.

“No, I’m fine. Just go away!”

“Is this… womanly issues?” Thorin felt his face burn, but he needed to be sure that it wasn't anything serious. Katniss’s face was as red as a tomato when she nodded confirming his suspicions. 

“Right, take as long as you need. Come on, let’s leave Miss Everdeen in peace…” Thorin said before he quickly led them away from that place as quickly he could.

“Uncle, what do you mean by womanly issues?” Kíli asked when they no longer were within Katniss hearing range. 

Thorin grunted. That was not a conversation he would like to have with his nephews. Not now, not ever. Dwalin saw Thorin's clear struggle and laughed at his king's embarrassment.

\-------------

That day, Thorin decided to stop their journey and make camp much earlier than he would usually have done. Katniss could not help but think that she was probably one of the reasons for that when the dwarf refused to allow her to go for a hunt that evening. Despite her complaints on that matter, Thorin was insisting that she should rest and gave that task to both of his nephews instead. 

Not wanting to feel completely useless, Katniss decided to help Bilbo to gather some firewood. The hobbit was very happy to distract her by chatting away about the Shire, his plants, his books and his armchair. Bilbo's cheerfulness was quite captivating, and she couldn’t help but wonder how it would have been like to live such a peaceful and abundant life. 

Katniss decided to make the most of the daylight and taught Bilbo how to make some fishhooks that she had learned from Mags at the Training Centre, during her second Hunger Games. When dinner was ready, they were joined by Bifur, Bombur and Bofur. Katniss was super impressed on how quickly the three dwarves mastered the fishhook crafting process and were already making a much better version of her own work.

“Did you use to do much fishing, Miss Katniss?” the young dwarf Ori asked her as he wrote in his journal. 

“Not very often,” she told him as she finished another hook. “It was a friend from the fishing district who taught me how to make these…”

“Fishing District?” the young dwarf asked, clearly wanting to learn more about it.

Katniss truly did not want to talk about Panem to the company, but their eagerness in learning about the future was enough for her to decide to do it regardless of her own feelings about it. That is how she ended up starting to roughly explain the dynamic between the Capital and the thirteen Districts. Every single member of the company was listening with full attention to her descriptions of the Districts. Her eyes met Thorin’s a couple of times as she deliberately avoided referencing darker triggering topics for her like the Hunger Games. 

Despite that, she did expand on other things that she had only briefly talked about to him, like the hunger that plagued the majority of Panem’s population, including her own family. Whereas people from the Capital plundered themselves in such a sick abundance, which even included special purging drinks during banquet feasts, just so they would be able to continue eating more and more.

“It was a sickening thing to witness. Especially knowing that people starve to death back home. I almost did, once, after my father died...” Katniss closed her eyes, thinking about the time that Peeta saved her life by giving her a loaf of bread. She tried to hide her feelings, as she did not feel like sharing something so personal with them.

“But then… something happened that made me remember that my father always taught me... that there are always lots of food sources out here in the wild. My father had taught me the basics of hunting and gathering, and even though that was forbidden, I had to take my chances, as it was our only hope to survive…” 

“Are ye saying that even though people were hungry, they were not allowed to get food in the woods?” 

“Yes. People were only officially allowed to get food from the Capitol…” she said, looking straight at Thorin. “But that did not stop my father, and did not stop me…”

“Your king has no honour,” Thorin simply stated.

“Snow is not a king. Certainly not  _ my  _ king. He is a dictator. He is a vermin, a parasite. And I swear that I am going to kill him one day.” There was a deadly glint in her eyes that Thorin recognised immediately. Vengeance. He did not know the details surrounding her hate, but it was clear that President Snow was to her what both Thranduil was and what Azog had once been to him.

“Er… Miss Katniss…?” Ori asked. “How did you end up getting invited to those luxurious banquets hosted by the Capitol that you described?”

Katniss’ blood went cold. She did not want to talk about the Games with them. No, that would be too much to ask from her. She looked from Ori to Thorin and grabbed her belongings before she started running away from the group. Some dwarves stood up, ready to follow her, but Thorin made them stop with a hand gesture. Thorin followed her with his eyes as she climbed on a tree not too far away. 

“Did I say something wrong?” Ori asked, feeling worried.

“No. She is just not ready to share some things about her past, that is all. _ Izhid _ !”

  
  


\------------

The sun had set and the moonlight shined brightly. Katniss was observing the company from the tree branch she had claimed about two hundred meters away from them. She knew they probably were wondering the reason behind her sudden disappearance, but she honestly couldn't care less. Few minutes after she left them, their talk and laughter had returned, and she busied herself trying to make her communicator work again. Needless to say that it was all in vain. 

However, the good view she had from their camp meant that she was not caught by surprise when Thorin Oakenshield himself appeared at the bottom of her tree and asked.

“May I join you?” 

“If you can make it up here, sure, why not?” she replied, giving him a sly smile. 

Thorin smirked back at her and started his way up. Being a dwarf meant he was naturally a good climber. Even though that ability was usually used to mountain climbing, it seemed to work just fine with trees as well. 

“You are a difficult woman to reach…” He was standing on a branch just below where she was seating, his upper body on the same level as she was.

“And you are a determined old man.”

“Dwarf, I am not a man.”

“Sorry, I forgot. You are not human. Which honestly sounds bizarre to me. Especially considering that most people from the Capitol look much less human than you do”

“I am not sure if I should take this as an offence or a compliment.”

“Probably as a compliment, considering that I was merely saying that you are very different from those vultures...” 

They remained staring at each other for several minutes without looking away. It was their private staring contest again. This time, Katniss seemed to be determined to not back down, despite the strange feelings on her chest that came along with it. Even though she did not stop looking at him, she was the one who finally broke their silence.

“Why did you come all the way up here?”

“To ensure you are well, Miss Everdeen. It is my duty as the leader of this company to ensure its members' wellbeing.”

“As you can see, I am alive and still breathing…”

“Aye, I can see that your body is working just fine. But it is your mind that I am concerned with.”

And that was what made she finally break eye contact with him and stare at her knees instead. She knew that her mind was definitely  _ not  _ OK. How could it ever be, after everything she went through? Katniss only looked back up when she felt his hands brushing on hers as he was trying to give her a warm cup that she had failed to notice he was carrying.

“Medicine?” she asked.

Thorin just gave her a short nod to confirm. She took it to her nose and inhaled the mixture. What intrigued her was that it had a surprisingly similar smell from one of her mother’s own concoctions. She blushed because the medicine made by her mother was for period pain.

“This is not the same thing you gave me yesterday…”

“And judging by your face, you know what it is supposed to be for…”

She nodded as she started to drink it. She was pleased to find that the Dwarrow version of her mother’s monthlies’ painkiller was sweet instead of bitter.

“My mother used to make something similar. She is a healer. But your version tastes much better…”

“I’m no healer, but I’m glad to be of service…”

“You made this?”

He nodded.

“I used to make it for my sister Dís…”

“The Dís from the song… Fíli’s and Kíli’s mother.”

He nodded again.

“Thank you, Thorin, I really appreciate the gesture,”

After that, they went back to their usual long staring contest. They carried on staring at each other as the noises from the company started to fade and were replaced by the sound of owls’ hooting instead. That was the first time when Thorin was the one who ended up breaking down their silence.

“Please return to the camp, Miss Everdeen. It is hard for me to ensure your safety if you decide to stay so far away from the others.”

“I am perfectly capable of ensuring my own safety…”

“I have no doubt of that. But it will give me peace of mind knowing that all the members of my company are together. And in case this is troubling you, rest assured that no one is going to make any comment about the way you ran away earlier.”

“How can you know that?”

“Because I asked them not to.”

There was a five-second pause where she considered his request.

“Sure, why not? This tree branch can hardly beat sleeping surrounded by thirteen smelling dwarves, one whinging hobbit and a cryptic wizard. That is every girls’ dream, right?”

Thorin gave a low growl, but he was smiling at her after that. And just after throwing one last glance at her, he started climbing down the tree closely followed by Katniss. They walked back to the camp in complete silence. When they arrived, Thorin placed his weapons on top of his sleeping mat before he went over to exchange a couple of gestures in Iglishmêk with Balin and Gloin, who were the ones taking the first watch. 

Katniss scrunched her eyebrows at that, as she did not like being kept in the dark about whatever they were discussing. She grabbed her belongings and fixed a sleeping spot for herself just next to Thorin’s the best way she could muster with the little supplies that she had. By the time he went over to sleep, he found out that she was already sleeping just next to his sleeping mat. He got his spare cloak and covered her body with it as if it was a blanket. This time, instead of throwing it away, she brought it near to her body.

\-------------------

It was a few hours from dawn, when Thorin was woken up by the noises made by Katniss turning her body from one side to the other. She was clearly having another nightmare. This time, instead of whispering the name of her sister Prim, she was whispering something about somebody else called Peeta. 

Before she could wake up the entire company again, Thorin leaned over next to her and touched her forehead in a similar way that Óin had done the previous night. His lips got closer to her ears and he started to whisper an old lullaby in khuzdul that his father used to sing for him and that he used to sign to his nephews. A few moments later, her breathing started to even out and she was sleeping peacefully and sound again. Once the song was over, he stroked her cheeks and adjusted his spare cloak that was already laying on her to better cover her body.

When Thorin stood up, he found Gandalf, Dwalin and Kíli all with sparkling eyes and a smug on their faces. Thorin frowned and gave a low growl in annoyance with their reaction. 

“No comments,” Thorin demanded as he stood up to smoke his pipe a bit further away from the others.

There was no way that he would be able to avoid the gossip and bets that were certain to erupt among his men. Not even Mahal himself could do that now. But the worse thing was, he was not even sure if their assumptions would be truly unfounded. 

Katniss Everdeen was definitely igniting new feelings on him, feelings that he had never felt before. The woman had taken over his thoughts more than it would be considered normal, and his body was definitely showing the signs of arousal that he had read and being told about so many times. 

Dwarves rarely fall in love, but when they do, they fall hard. They bound only once, and for the duration of their lifetime. When a dwarf chooses their One, nobody else would be able to take that place. Their loyal and stubborn heart would never be able to settle down for another mate. Though the mere idea that the skinny young woman could end up filling that position in his life sounded utterly absurd. Besides not even being a dwarf, she was far too young for him. 

Thorin could not allow his feelings for her to grow into something that he would not be able to control. He was on a quest to take back Erebor, and he could not afford to be distracted. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Every single review makes me wanna dance the macarena around my living room like I am on a big 90s disco party. 
> 
> Every single kudos makes me smile.
> 
> Every single bookmark makes me want to seat on my sofa and finish writing the next chapter ASAP.
> 
> \---
> 
> So what are your thoughts? What do you think that Thorin's next move is going to be? What do you think the company is going to do? And how about Katniss... what are your thoughts about her experience of this whole thing?


	6. Chapter 6: What happens at Bree...

Katniss woke up feeling much better rested than she could remember. She was surprised when she noticed that she had been covered by somebody else’s cloak. Though she had no idea about who it belonged to, nobody seemed inclined to give her any clue about who the owner was.

One week later they finally arrived at Bree. Until that moment, she was still constantly wondering if they were not inside an enormous arena and the dwarves were some sort of actors hired by the Capitol in another sickening reality show. But witnessing the existence of another settlement beside the Shire, seemed to make that possibility much slimmer than it already was. Slowly she was finally starting to believe that perhaps Gandalf’s words could actually ring true and she had really gone back to the past. 

Like many other members of the company, Katniss also used the time to do some shopping in the village. She ended up going with Bilbo, as both of them needed sleeping mats and toiletries. Later, Thorin got rooms for everybody at the Prancing Pony. Katniss and Thorin were the only ones who were not sharing a room with anybody else. Although Katniss was really looking forward to having a little bit of privacy for a change, she was also anxious about sleeping by herself, because her nightmares tended to be much worse when there was nobody else around. On the other hand, she would finally get to sleep on a bed again.

That evening she had dinner with the company at the inn’s Pub. The dwarves were a very loud bunch and they clearly stood out by that and their appearance. Now that she was at Bree, the difference between the races seemed much more obvious, and she felt almost silly for failing to figure that out before. Dwarves had larger shoulders, bulkier body, muscly long arms, not to mention their well kept elaborated hair and beards. 

One thing that she did not know, but soon became obvious, was the strain that seemed present between the races. Even Katniss was harassed by some random drunk junky who called her ‘dwarf lover’ and that he could show her what a real man was like. Before she could even think on how to react, Fíli and Kíli appeared just from behind her, ready to fight him to save her honour. In the end, she managed to hold them back and avoid the brawl to escalate into physical combat by asking the brothers to escort her back to her room instead.

And just as she predicted, her nightmares returned at full-strength. In the middle of the night, she was tormented by a dream about the Capitol bombarding the hospital at District 8. She was only able to settle down when the leader of their company invaded her room and began to whisper songs in a foreign language in her ear.

\----------------

  
  


Thorin woke up immediately after hearing the low screams coming from the room just next to his own. He knew it was Katniss probably having another nightmare. Without thinking twice, he quickly put on his cloak on top of his two-piece long underwear garments, grabbed his axe and went out of his room still wearing his socks. Breaking into her bedroom was quite easy. Watching the state that she was into when he arrived, however, was  _ not _ . 

Katniss was having the worst soldier’s fatigue episode that he had ever witnessed. She was covered in sweat, shaking and crying out loud. She was mumbling words that sounded like,  _ “they are all dead, all dead.”  _ He also noticed that her already inappropriately short nightgown had also lost its sleeves now, making her the most undressed woman he had ever been with - including his own mother and sister. But he did not have much time to think about that, as her need for comfort was greater than anything else. 

He sat down at the corner of her bed and brought her near to him as he started whispering the same song he had whispered in Khuzdul for her few evenings ago. He was caught by surprise when she clung to him, bringing him closer in a tight hug as her sobs and her breathing slowly started to fade. The smell of her hair, the feel of the soft skin of her cheeks touching his beard, her tiny hand clinging on the thin fabric of the neckline of his shirt and rubbing the back of her hand on his hairy chest. Her naked arms pressing hard against his body. The sight of thin small hairs that covered both her exposed long legs, the vision of a golden locket around her neck resting on top of her breasts… all of these smells, visions and sensations were driving him insane. 

His heart was beating fast, and he had to employ every single inch of his self-discipline to not start stroking her luxurious ebony hair now and then. He was well aware that if any member of his company were to catch them in that position, both of their reputations could be permanently tarnished. Not that anyone would dare to say anything about it in front of him anyway. 

Her loud sobs soon dwindled into a silent cry. Thorin remained there, strong as a rock giving her all the support that he could wield. They remained in that embrace for almost an hour, before Katniss had the courage to move away from it and whispered his name like a prayer.

“Thorin…” her hands still lingered on his body, almost if she was afraid of letting him go “Thank you for staying with me.”

He nodded and just as she was starting to move away from his personal space, he decided to share something very personal with her.

“Katniss… I… I used to have nightmares like the ones you are having now when I was a young dwarf too. I still have them sometimes, but they are much less frequent now.”

“What did you do to make it  _ stop _ ?”

“I talked. I talked about what happened to my kinsman. You should do that. Try talking about it to someone else… it  _ will  _ help.”

She nodded.

“I will. I promise. I just…” but instead of saying something, she hugged him again. Caught by surprise, Thorin left a groan of pleasure escaping his lips and he truly hoped she would not have noticed. “Please, stay?” she begged with a whisper in his ear making him shiver.

“My Lady?” he pulled her back from the embrace, forcing her to look him in the eyes. 

“Please, don’t go. Stay here with me tonight…  _ please _ ,” and she made room for him to join her on the bed. 

“Miss Everdeen…” Thorin whispered unsure of what else to say or do.  _ Mahal have mercy _ , he thought. And it was in that moment he was sure that he was doomed.

  
  


\-----------------

  
  


Thorin stayed with her until the sun rose. After that evening's events, he was unable to go back to sleep, though he was more than happy to stand guard so the only female member of his company could finally relax. 

The King in Exile had been looking forward to staying at Bree with his men. For some of those who had been travelling in the wild for a while, this would be the first time in  _ months  _ that they would have the chance to sleep in something other than a sleeping mat. It was also their last chance to get supplies before they went back to the wild. 

It was nice to treat them with the luxury of having a meal on a table with chairs and ale, for a change. If everything went according to his plan, the next time they would be able to have comforts like these should only be when they reached Lake Town.

Most of his company were already finishing their breakfast when Katniss Everdeen arrived at the inn’s Pub. She had her armour on, her bow and quiver on her shoulders and her head up high. She behaved and looked as if nothing had happened the previous night. Thorin was not sure if he should be feeling relieved or hurt that she barely paid him any notice when she joined their table and claimed the empty chair between Bilbo and Bifur. Without giving her another glance, he decided it was time to go and sort some last-minute details for their journey.

\------------------

After a few days on the road, Katniss’ horse-riding skills had improved considerably. She would never admit, but following Fíli’s advice on how to maintain a good horse-riding posture, had diminished her saddle soreness. On a sad note, she was under the impression that Thorin was going out of his way to avoid her company unless there were other people around. That annoyed her to no end because since Bree, she had decided that she wanted to have a go at telling him more about the things she went through during and after the games. She was not sure why but having him walking away from her every time she sought his companionship did sting deep inside her. 

Every company member seemed to have a different way to cope with the long haul journey to Erebor. Thorin seemed to prefer solitude and remained on the front most of the time; Dwalin seemed to join him there often enough, but otherwise, he usually stuck on the back of the pack. Balin seemed content on just sharing a conversation or two with any member of the company, he even tried to start a conversation with her a couple of times. Dori seemed to like to mollycoddle both his younger brothers. Ori never missed an opportunity to have his nose stuck in his journal and Nori enjoyed playing a game of snatching things that did not belong to him. 

Gloin enjoyed talking about his family, especially his wife and his son. His brother Oin seemed a gentle fellow who loved to talk about herbs and birds. Bifur kept to himself, though he was usually very nice towards her. Bombur loved to talk about his wife and his fourteen children. Bofur loved to find an excuse to start singing a new song. Fíli and Kíli seemed to get great pleasure by annoying the others; Thorin and her in particular. Bilbo enjoyed talking about the Shire and playing charades, while Gandalf seemed to be content by observing the others, though he never missed an opportunity of making some remarkably clever comments every now and then. 

Katniss spent most of her time in between trying to spot hidden cameras and trying to busy her mind, by paying attention to the others so she would not need to confront her own thoughts and feelings. 

“Why do you look like you are trying to find something hidden among the trees, Lady Katniss?” Fíli asked her.

“I am trying to see if I can find a hidden camera somewhere...”

“What is a camera?”

“Exactly. If you lot are actors, I just want to let the Capitol know that you are extremely good ones. You have me convinced. Now let me out because I am sick of horse-riding. And I know that the audience must be bored to the extreme…”

“Audience? My Lady, if you really want an audience with Uncle, I am sure he will be more than happy to oblige...” Kíli grinned full of mischief, and Thorin gave a loud growl all the way from the front of the pack, making his nephew’s eyes shine even more.

“Come on, we have been camping here for weeks and no attacks, no fireballs, nobody betrayed anyone yet...” Katniss sounded almost frustrated. 

“Da ye want to be attacked?” Dwalin asked from the back in complete shock.

“Betrayal is a serious offence, Lass. You should not talk about this lightly,” Balin frowned.

“Hey, Lady Katniss,” Kíli called her attention. “What is the meaning of this golden pin attached to your armour? Is it a courting gift?”

Katniss felt her face burn. She could feel every single pair of eyes and ears were observing her. 

“No, that is not a courting gift. It is a Mockingjay pin. It is a token from my District…” 

“What is a Mockingjay, Miss Katniss?” Ori asked.

“Mockinjays are a cross between Mockingbirds and Jabberjays. Jabberjays were black, nasty birds engineered by the Capitol to spy on the rebels, as they can repeat entire conversations back to their Masters. When the rebels realised how the Capitol was spying on them, they decided to deceive the Jabberjays by feeding them misleading information. Once the Capitol realised what had happened, they decided to exterminate all the Jabberjays, but not before some had mated with Mockingbirds…”

“So all the Jabberjays died…?”

“Most of them died, yes. But a new type of bird was born, the Mockingjays. They are now a symbol of the revolution. They are a reminder that the Capitol  _ cannot  _ control everything…”

“Jabberjays seem to be similar to Crebain crows…” Gandalf mumbled more to himself than to the company.

“Maybe they are the same bird, but we know them by a different name. Or maybe Crebain are the great-great-great-grandparents of the Jabberjays, right Gandalf?” Katniss told the wizard who nodded in agreement before he took his pipe out his pocket.

There were a few seconds of silence before Kíli broke it again.

“So does that mean you never had a suitor? Has anyone ever courted you in the future?” Kíli asked her with a glint of hope in his eyes. 

Memories of Peeta and Gale immediately invaded her head. Katniss could not help but give Kíli a murderous glare. Without saying anything else, she galloped her horse away from where he was to the front of the company just next to where Thorin was riding. Thorin frowned his eyebrows as he looked from her to his nephew, who gave him an apologetic look. Thorin on the other hand retaliated by giving him a glare of his own and signalling in Iglishmêk that the young prince was going to pay for that later. 

When Thorin looked back at Katniss, he noticed that her eyes were closed, and one single silent tear was falling from it. Her fist was clutching on the golden locket that he did not know she possessed until he invaded her bedroom at Bree to calm her down. Thorin felt his own heart shattering into pieces as another teardrop marred her face. He could not help but think that perhaps she  _ did  _ have a suitor after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you like the Bree scene? That was so much fun to write! If Katniss love life was not messy enough with Peeta and Gale, I decided to through nonetheless than Thorin Oakenshield on the mix... pfff
> 
> In another note, I just realised that Katniss birthday is on the 8th of May, which pretty much means within the next three days. And as I found that out, I started to wonder which cultural customs would dwarves have when they become official adults? Do you have any ideas?


	7. Chapter 7:  Games and heartaches

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't read/ watched the Hunger Games and that is one thing you are considering doing, beware that this chapter is filled with spoilers.

Fíli and Kíli were certainly an annoying duo, but Katniss could not complain about them as hunting partners. They were as good, if not  _ better _ , than Gale. Fíli was a master at knife-throwing.  _ He never missed _ . Whereas Kíli was almost as good with a bow as she was, though she knew that if he had a bow from the same making and technology as she had, they would probably be even. Though they still had to build that almost telepathic synergy that she once shared with Gale, Kíli was making a particular effort by taking the time to teach her some useful signs in Iglishmêk. He made her promise that she would not tell any the others what he had done, as apparently dwarfs hardly ever shared that kind of knowledge with outsiders from their race. 

At least now she knew how to say some random words such as ‘ _ you, me, listen, I’m listening, up, down, on your right, on your left, on my right, on my left, duck, follow me, watch out, shoot the head, shoot the leg, shoot the eye, rabbit, bird, fox’ _ . It was hardly enough for her to understand their secret conversations at the campfire, but just enough to be useful when they were hunting together. 

Dwalin pulled Katniss to the side just after she had returned from yet another hunting session with Kíli. 

“Lass, Thorin asked me to train ya.” 

“Train me?” she frowned. 

“Aye. Thorin wants me to teachya the basics of sword and axe fighting…” 

“Why?” 

“He wants ye to be prepared in case ye ran out of arrows…” 

“Why doesn’t he come here and teach me that himself?” 

Dwalin gave her a funny look. 

“It’s nae up to me to question my king’s decisions, Lass” 

“King?” Katniss frowned upon discovering this new piece of information about their company leader. 

“Aye. Thorin is our king,” he said with pride, but after noticing the open wide eyes of the only female member of their company he quickly added, “Ye did nae know, did ya?” 

“No,” she answered a few seconds later, a blank expression returning on her face. 

Dwalin analysed her while he scratched his beard. 

“Right. We er going to be alternating between both weapons, one-day sword, one day axe until it is clear which one you favour…” 

“Wait.” And without giving him any further explanation, she turned her back to him making her way to the spot where the others were seated. 

“Where dae ye think you are going?” he shouted, taking offence by being ignored while he was clearly doing nothing but trying to help her. 

“I am going to fetch Bilbo,” she simply said turning her head back to him and shrugging her shoulder. 

“Why would ya do tha’ for?” 

“I want him to join us on this.” 

“Why?” 

“Because Bilbo is helpless. He clearly needs some training. Don’t you agree?” 

“Lass, Thorin’s orders are for me to train ye, not the burglar.” 

“You can either train both or none of us…” 

Dwalin gave her an intense glare, which she promptly returned by raising one eyebrow and crossing her arms, as she waited for the dwarf’s position on the matter. Dwalin just shook his head and crossed his own arms before finally speaking. 

“Ye are a fierce wee thing, are ye not?” he said with a glint of mischief in his eyes. Before she could protest, he quickly added, “Aw right. Here is the deal. He can join ye if tha’ is what’ he wants to do. Though, persuading the laddie might be harder than ye think…” 

As Dwalin had predicted, Bilbo did not seem at all interested when Katniss first invited him to join the training. So she coaxed him by appealing to his honourable good nature. That worked. 

“No, absolutely no, no, no! I’m a hobbit Katniss, not a human, not a dwarf! Hobbits are not fighters…” 

“Please Bilbo! Come on… look at Dwalin waiting for me over there. Doesn’t he look a bit scary to you? Are you really going to let me go training with him all by myself?” 

The hobbit still complained, but after that, he decided to join her and the dwarf warrior for training nonetheless. Katniss did not miss Dwalin annoyance as he threw a small coin sack to his brother Balin. The white-haired dwarf gave Katniss a wink and she smiled back at him. 

As Katniss had expected, Dwalin was a harsh instructor. But she did not complain, as he was also a very good one. Bilbo, on the other hand, would do nothing but complain until he was threatened by Dwalin. Katniss almost regretted inviting Bilbo along; she only didn’t because deep inside she knew that the hobbit needed to learn how to defend himself if he were to have a real chance at surviving outside the Shire. Dwalin gave them drills that she knew would leave her arms sore the next day. After one hour and a half of hard training, Dwalin dismissed them both. 

Even though she knew that dinner was likely to be served soon, she decided to walk a bit away from the camp and visit one of the water marshes, as she was determined to have a proper wash, now that she had the chance of doing so. So far, the dwarves always had been nice enough to save some food for her every time she was late for the meals, but even if they didn’t, she still had some beef jerky, nuts, and fruits in her shoulder bag. Therefore, she relished the opportunity to have a proper wash with soap and change her armour for her District Thirteen clothes for the first time since they started the quest. 

Cinna’s Mockingjay armour was holding up amazingly well, looking almost as new as it was when she first wore it. Considering she had been wearing it non stop for more than ten days, she found it quite impressive. Still, as she had the luxury of owning a spare set of clothes, she wanted to wash some of her sweat from it. After both her clothes and herself had been washed, she made her way back to the camp. Her hair was still wet and her Mockingjay armour was also still dripping. 

The first thing she did when she was back, was to grab her sleeping mat from her usual spot next to Gandalf and Bilbo and move it just next to the place that Thorin had claimed as his own. The entire company went silent and all eyes were on them. Until that moment, Thorin had been absorbed in a conversation with Balin and Dwalin on the opposite side she had placed her mat. Thorin also froze and looked at her in surprise. 

Even though all the dwarves were quiet, Katniss noticed that they were still exchanging some discreet Iglishmêk signs between them. Despite not understanding what they were saying, she knew enough to realise that it was mainly about her. She had to refrain herself from doing the sign that meant ‘ _ I’m listening _ ’ that she had learned from Kíli earlier that day. 

Instead, she got her armour and placed it near the fire so it would dry quicker. She was so focused on trying to look busy that she almost missed when Thorin did a sign of his own to his company, and everybody immediately started talking again. 

“Miss Katniss, we saved you some food. Sorry, it might be a bit cold,” Bofur informed her from the other side of the camp, near to the area where her sleeping mat was previously placed. He passed a bowl around from one dwarf to the other until it got to Thorin who passed it over to her. It did not go unnoticed by her that the bowl travelled the long way around the circle, just so Thorin would be the one to give that to her. She looked a bit suspicious but nodded to thank him before she started eating her stew. Once again, he did not take his eyes off her, almost silently inviting her to join on their private staring contests again. 

“What is this commotion all about?” she decided to ask him. 

“Commotion?” 

“Thorin, I am not an idiot.” 

“Why did you decide to place your sleeping mat here?” 

“You kept running away from me, so I decided that if I wanted to talk to you, I’d have to take matters into my own hands…” 

“I was  _ not  _ running away.” 

“It felt like it. Every time I wanted to talk to you alone, you seemed to fetch someone else to join us. And by the way, why did you send Dwalin off to train me instead of doing that yourself?” 

“I was merely being cautious. I was not sure if my presence would be welcomed, and I did not want you or anyone else to think that I was imposing.” 

“You are never imposing. Your presence is welcomed.” 

“Your presence is also welcomed, Miss Everdeen.” 

There was a moment of silence between them. Her grey eyes locked on his blue ones, and she felt a rush of excitement going through her spine that she could not explain. 

Unfortunately, that moment was quickly broken by the noise of small money sacks that started floating around the camp. Katniss obviously noticed and frowned at the dwarves who were doing that, and then back at Thorin, who was also giving a frown of his own to the company. 

“What is this commotion about?” she repeated her question, this time with a frown. 

“Dwarves are  _ quite  _ fond of friendly gambling.” 

“Yeah, I noticed. It is what they are currently betting on that I would like to know…” 

Thorin did not answer her, instead he gave her another one of his intense glares that made her head go all foggy. He had such a magnetic charm that she struggled to ignore. She felt like a moth drawn to a flame. 

Thorin, in his turn, was lost absorbing every single detail on her face - from her thick eyebrows that were hastily growing, to her perfectly pink cheeks, to the almost invisible hairs that were starting to grow on her upper lips. He had felt over the moon when he saw her placing her sleeping mat next to his own. He was aware that she probably did not understand how that simple gesture could be interpreted by his kin. She probably did not mean anything by that either. Still, he could not help the sense of pride growing inside his chest when he saw her going out of her way to seek his companionship like that. 

In dwarven culture, dams held the upper hand when it came to courting. Dwarrow men were not allowed to pursue a dam unless she had clearly signed that their advances would be welcomed. There were many ways that dams could do that, the most popular ones being the gifts of flowers or sweets. However, her clear attempt of seeking his companionship in front of the entire company after spending a good amount of time grooming herself could easily make the cut as one of these signs as well. 

By accepting the gifts of a dam - or in this particular case by simply not sending Katniss away, Thorin basically said to the entire company that her advances were welcomed and that he was looking forward to getting to know her better. During his one hundred ninety-six years of age, Thorin had never accepted a single gift from a dwarrowdam before, and that spoke volumes. And even though that was nothing like an official courting, he hoped that his men would be able to get the hint that she already was hugely important to him. 

“Thorin?” Katniss’s voice brought him back to reality. “I have been thinking about what you told me at Bree after my nightmare, and… I would like to give it a try.” 

All the dwarves at the campfire went silent again and looked at them. Thorin grunted in annoyance and Katniss looked at them with suspicion. 

“Wha’ happened at Bree, Thorin?” Dwalin asked, scratching his beard. 

It was Katniss’ turn to give a loud grunt and stand up. 

“Nothing that anyone here should be concerned with,” she answered as she put on her hunting jacket and grabbed her shoulder bag, bow and quiver before she looked at Thorin. “Let’s go for a walk.” 

Thorin was more than happy to oblige and follow her lead, but not before he smirked at his old warrior friend. 

\------------------------ 

Thorin and Katniss walked together in silence until they reached another piece of dry land within the company's sight, but outside their hearing range. Katniss sat on a rock and waited in silence as she observed Thorin as he worked on lighting a small fire for them. Katniss considered herself fairly competent when it came to lighting fires, but without matches, it usually took her quite a bit of time. Thorin, on the other hand, had the experience of almost two centuries, and she could not help but admire his technique. When he was done, he sat on the same rock she was seating and they remained in silence for a couple of minutes. She was about to ask him a question, but Thorin beat her by asking something else first. 

“Why did you seek my company tonight?” Thorin’s deep blue eyes staring at her, combined with his low smoky voice so near her, were giving her goosebumps. She had to take a deep breath to calm herself down before she could give him an answer. 

“I… I decided that I want to give a shot to your advice, and I… I would like to tell you about what happened before and after the Games… if you are ok with that?” she felt and looked vulnerable, which was an unusual look for her. 

As the Games have always been displayed for the entire Panem to see, telling people what had happened was not something that she had ever done before. Even to the doctors at District Thirteen who looked after her mental wellbeing. Telling her story from scratch to somebody else had never been a necessity, as people seemed to be even more familiar with it than her. 

“I feel honoured that you chose me to be your confidant, Miss Everdeen.” 

She gave him a nod to say that she was listening. 

"But beware, Miss Everdeen, nightmares like these won't go away like magic, from one day to the other. You are having severe soldier’s fatigue every other day, and we are still waiting for a night that you don't have a nightmare. It will take time for it to go away. You will probably need to talk about it multiple times with different people. But they will, hopefully, eventually fade. Or at least diminish." 

She nodded again to say that she had understood him. 

And she started telling her tale. She told Thorin about how she had to sign up for tessera in order to get extra grain and oil supply for her and her family as soon as she turned 12. She told him about how she met her hunting partner Gale and the pact they had made of helping to feed each other's family in case one of them were reaped for the games. She told him about how sure she was that her sister's name would never be picked, and how her own heart stopped beating when it was. How she did not think twice to volunteer to take her place, and patiently waited for the name of a male tribute to be drawn, praying that it would not be Gale’s. But also how disheartened she felt when she learnt that it was a boy whom she owed a life-debt to. And how she could not help but think that they might have had to kill each other at the arena. 

She told him about her goodbyes to her family, how she had made her mother promise that she would not fade to grief again. How she had promised Prim that she would try to win  _ for her _ . How Peeta’s father had given her a bag of cookies, and Madge her the Mockingjay pin. How Gale had given her a pep talk. She told Thorin about the train ride to the Capitol, about her escort Effie and Haymitch, her drunk mentor. 

But it was only when Katniss started describing the torturous wax shaving treatment which her prep team made her go through, that Thorin lost it for the first time that evening. Katniss was amused to see the dwarf king cursing in his foreign language when she told him that they stripped her naked and plucked every single hair from her body as if she was a chicken they were reading for a roast. 

“If that’s making you angry, I fear how furious you will be when you learn that they wanted to modify my body after the games. Well, they did do that, to some extent, actually… removed my scars and fixed my hearing - I lost my hearing on my left ear after I exploded the career’s supplies…” 

“Can they do that?” Thorin asked in shock. 

“They can change people’s skin colour to blue! Getting rid of my body hair was nothing compared to the other things they do.” 

“That was  _ not ‘ _ nothing’. They shaved you - dishonoured you - when you committed no crime. They removed your scars, your honour badges…” Thorin then explained to her briefly how important hair was for the dwarrow, and how shaving for a dwarf was seen as a horrible punishment. She did not tell him, but it warmed her heart seeing him getting all disgusted with the Capitol on her behalf. 

She then told him about Cinna, the first human being from that Capitol that treated her like a person with feelings and how he had helped her to gain the nickname of ‘ _ the girl on fire _ ’. She told Thorin about the parade, the training centre, the interview. Thorin gave a grunt of approval when she told him about how she had ended up shooting an arrow at an apple in a roasted pig’s mouth, just next to the Gamemakers. 

“You should have shot them on their heads!” 

“They would’ve probably just blown me to pieces as soon I stepped inside that blasted arena.” 

When Katniss told him how furious she felt when her fellow District tribute told the entire country that he loved her, Thorin’s expression was unreadable. 

"I mean, we were both about to go to the arena and he tells the entire Panen that he was  _ in love _ with me? I thought that this was a sick strategy that he was playing, trying to make me look weak. Only later that my team made me realise that it actually made me seem desirable, which apparently was a good thing for getting sponsors..." 

She briefly explained to him about the Cornucopia Bloodbath and her mentor's strategy for her and Peeta, to get away from there as soon as possible and find water. Her struggle to decide if she should or shouldn’t have followed his advice when she spotted the bow and quiver, clearly made for her inside the Cornucopia. How she had lost the momentum and ended up running away with nothing but a knife and a backpack. 

She confessed to Thorin how relieved she had felt when she found out through the sound of canons that almost half of the tributes were already dead. She also confessed to him how she had almost wished Peeta had also died, just so she would not have to kill him, but also how she was relieved when she had found out that he was still alive that evening. 

“If he was the winner, my mother and Prim would also benefit from the extra rations of food given by the Capitol.” 

And then she had told him about her frustration when she woke up a few hours later just to find out that she had been camping a few meters away from the biggest idiot of the games. 

“Can you imagine? I know it was cold, but come on! She lit a fire just revealing our location to all the careers who were hunting us!” 

Thorin grunted. 

“I’m guessing she died that night?” 

“Your guess is correct.” 

Then she told Thorin how she had almost fallen off the tree when she realised that Peeta had allied with the careers when they arrived to kill that girl. Thorin frowned his eyebrows but instead of making comments about that, he lit up his pipe. 

She carried on narrating her journey to find water while she battled against dehydration. And after she had found it, how the Gamemakers started throwing fireballs at her to force a confrontation between her and the career pack. She told him how she ran to find refuge on top of a tree despite having to endure the pain resulting from a burn injury on her leg, that she got during the fireball show, and how Peeta and the careers failed to follow her up that very same tree. 

“My friend Gale used to say that I climb a tree like a squirrel…” 

“No, I saw you climbing. You don’t climb like a squirrel, you climb like a dwarf,” he said with a warm smile. 

Katniss was not sure why, but she smiled at him after hearing that comment. 

She then carried on telling him how sponsors had sent the medicine for her leg, and how the young female tribute from Eleven, Rue, helped her come up with the plan to send a tracker jacker nest at the careers who had set up camp on the bottom of her tree. How two career girls died from these wasps and how she was finally able to get hold of her bow, despite the hallucinations triggered by their venom. And then she told him how she realised that Peeta saved her life sending her off to run, while he stayed to fight the career boy Cato. 

“Did Peeta survive?” Thorin asked with a blank expression. 

“Just barely…” 

“So the boy did have feelings for you,” 

“Yes, he did, but I didn’t know at the time. I still thought he was acting to get us sponsors.” 

Katniss told him how she had found Rue had been helping her by healing her and how they both decided to make an alliance to blow up the careers supply. She also told him about the high price she had to pay because of that. This was the first time that Katniss' voice became a bit shaky since she started narrating the 74th Hunger Games to him. 

“You lost your little friend,” Thorin correctly guessed. 

She nodded as she took a sip of water. After a moment, Katniss carried on narrating the events that led to little Rue’s death. She had to stop from time to time to gather strength to carry on, narrating how she had killed the boy from District One and then sang to a lullaby to little Rue until she died in her arms. She told him about her revolt with the Capitol for both making her watch that innocent little girl die but also to force her to kill that boy from One. 

"I needed to do something - anything - to make the Capitol accountable. I wanted to shame them, to show everyone that no matter what they do to me, they still did not  _ own  _ me. So I saw some blossoms and wildflowers nearby and I had this idea..." she carried on telling him how she decided to cover Rue's body with the flowers. 

“I see. The Games were the Capitol's tool to keep the animosity between the Districts alive. I bet you started up a fire when you did that…” 

Katniss had always thought that it was her trick with the berries that ignited the rebellion, but perhaps he was right. Her sparks might have started much before that stunt. 

“You are not wrong. Rue’s District sent me a piece of bread after that. That was the first time in seventy-four years that a tribute received a present from a District that was not their own.” 

“I’m not surprised. You showed unity and honour to people who were not used to receiving either of these two things. The Capitol seemed to maintain their power through fear, by the horror, by the despair. That is the way of the enemy. An honourable ruler should gain respect by providing and serving their people,  _ not  _ the other way around.” 

That was when Katniss looked at Thorin finally taking in who he truly was. Thorin  _ was  _ a king, a ruler like he said. He was not just the leader of a company of a dozen dwarrow men. Even if he was a king without a kingdom, he was still a king. She then remembered how he would always be the last one to eat, and how he decided to be among the ones on patrol duty more often than any of the others. He also did not send off a troupe to reclaim Erebor and remained hidden away somewhere safe. Thorin was there among his men, and seeing a ruler behaving like that was a novelty for her. 

She must have been lost in her thoughts for a long time because Thorin broke the silence asking whether she wanted to carry on her tale that evening or if she would rather have a break from it. But she was determined to carry on, so she told him about the special announcement telling about a change of rules that they would now allow to crown two victors if both were from the same District. 

How she had realised that this could only be because that 'star-crossed lovers' strategy was probably getting very popular among people from the Capitol. Not only she did have a moral duty to save him, but it was also a self-preservation move if she wanted to carry on getting good sponsors. Because of that, she did track Peeta down to keep him alive. 

Katniss told Thorin how beaten and wounded Peeta had been, and how she had looked after him and cleaned his wounds despite how she always had been squeamish to the bone about that sort of thing. And then she confessed to him how she had forced herself to kiss Peeta to keep the show for the Capitol’s sponsors. 

"That was the first time I ever kissed a boy and... I guess that was supposed to be something special, right? But all I felt was how to warm from fever his lips were, and that I needed to keep him alive. Because... what kind of person would I be if I did not try to do that?" 

Thorin frowned. He did not like what he had learnt. However, his repulse was not aimed at Katniss, as her intentions were as noble as they could possibly be. The Capitol though, and the boy… both making a young female feeling coaxed to do something like that. That was beyond revolting. 

"Didn't that boy feel sick for making you go through this?" 

“Peeta didn’t know I was faking. And I thought that he was acting too…” 

Thorin grunted, but he did not say anything else. 

Katniss then told him how Haymitch’s present had made her realise that she needed to carry on with the kisses and look madly in love with Peeta if she wanted to have any chance of getting him proper medicine for his leg. She then told him about the feast at the Cornucopia, and how that would be her only chance to get said medicine.

“You risked your life to save him, even if you were not in love with him?” 

“I might not have had feelings for him at that time, but that did not mean that I wanted him to die.” 

“Still, you could have died.” 

“Would you have done any different, Thorin?” 

He knew that there was only one honourable answer. 

“No.” 

Katniss then narrated the events that had happened at the Cornucopia. Foxface’s smart strategy of being the first one to go; her grabbing Peeta’s medicine and almost dying in the hands of the girl from Two. The mercy shown by the boy from District Eleven due to her previous alliance with the little Rue. 

She confessed to Thorin how she still didn't know how she had managed to run back to their camp with blood dripping from her face and gotten Peeta’s medicine in his veins, only to pass out straight after that. She told him how they had remained in their cave, keeping the romance entertainment for the audience in exchange for food. Katniss told Thorin how she secretly mourned the death of the boy from Eleven that was announced while they were in that cave. 

“The truth is, I did not want him dead. I did not want _ any _ of them to die! I didn’t want to be there for starters. But that sort of thinking wouldn’t have gotten me sponsors, which I knew I would need If I wanted to have any chance of leaving that cursed arena alive.” 

She then told him how Foxface also ended up dead after stealing nightlock berries gathered by Peeta, and then she told him about the wolf-like mutts that came to play for the grand finale. Katniss was surprised when Thorin recognised the mutts from her descriptions and told her that they called them wargs. She described the grossness of Cato’s death, and her final mercy shot to end his life. 

"The Games were over after that?" 

"Oh, if only! The Gamemakers never intended to let both of us win..." 

Thorin's hand slowly touched her hand to give her some sort of comfort. She pulled him closer, resting her head on his shoulders. He hugged her back and gently started stroking her hair, almost fearing that he may have overstepped somehow. But if anything, she pulled him closer, making him know that his touch was welcomed. They remained there in silence, waiting until she was ready to carry on with her tale. 

When she was, she told Thorin about another change in the rules, their frustration and then her realisation that the Capitol  _ needed  _ to have a winner. Which had led to her plan for both of them to eat the deadly berries to force the Capitol to either accept them both as victors or to have no victor at all. Fortunately, the Capital chose to let them both live as the Gamemakers informed that they were both going to be victors in the end. 

"But little did I know that the  _ true  _ Games were about to begin..." 

Then she carried on telling her tale to him. How the Capitol cleared her body for all her wounds and scars - even the ones she had before the Games. How Haymitch told her that she was in danger because of her act with the berries, and how it was important for everyone to believe that she was utterly in love with Peeta. 

"At the arena, the worst that could happen to me was to die. But out there... There, I had Prim, my mother, Gale, my friends from District 12. Everyone and everything I cared about could be punished from the moment I came out as a victor from the arena. My only defence was making people believe that my acts with the nightlock berries were driven not as an act of defiance, but by my supposed love craziness for that boy." 

She told Thorin about how horrible she felt when she was forced to watch the replay of the highlights of what happened inside the arena on a large screen in front of an audience. She told him about the anxiety she felt as she had to go through interviews, banquets, dinners, events with reports documenting every detail from their supposed love and pretended kisses, knowing that any false move from her part could cause everything to fall apart. 

And finally, there was the whole mess that was confronting her own feelings after that. Katniss told him about Gale’s stolen kiss and her inner struggle to figure out if she liked one or the other, or neither of the boys. Thorin grunted but did not say anything about what he had learned. 

That followed her description of the visit paid by President Snow himself to her house, and how horrible it had been to discuss her love life with him. And how she now had to make that evil man believe that she was in love with Peeta if she wanted to keep Gale alive. 

“The Games never really end. They might call you a victor, but you never really leave the arena. You are stuck there forever. You have money, and food on your plate, but you still are enslaved by the Capitol. You are forced to act as their propaganda puppet for their sickening government that makes the majority of the country to starve while some few live the most luxurious lifestyle.” 

She carried on telling him about the Victors’ Tour, about the abusement on her body by her prep team, her fear of not being able to satisfy President Snow and how she had reached the conclusion that if she wanted to keep those she loved alive, she would have to end up marrying Peeta at some point. How she was the one that had suggested Peeta to propose to marry her on live broadcast, for the entire Panen to see. Her despair when she had realised that no matter what they did they would never manage to contain the rebellion. And then the final blow when it was announced that she was going to have to go back inside of another cursed arena as a tribute. Again. 

Thorin cursed in that language of his and started to chop a tree trunk that was lying nearby with his axe. Katniss raised her eyebrows as she was caught off guard by his enraged reaction. 

She told him about how the Capitol would draw their tributes from their current pool of victors, and as she was the only female victor from District Twelve, she was also their only possible choice. She told him how Peeta volunteered to take Haymitch’s place, just so he could protect her. But how she was also determined that Peeta should be the one to leave the arena alive this time. 

She described her second round as a victor trip to the Capitol. How now she was supposed to make new allies and gain the trust from people that have been friends for years. How she had found out that one of her old friends from District Twelve had become a mute slave after the Capitol cut off his tongue and made him her servant. She told him about the people she had met there and had decided that she wanted as allies. 

She told Thorin about hers and Peeta’s defiance at the Gamemaker’s scoring session. Peeta for trying to shame them by making a painting about Rue’s dead body covered by flowers, and Katniss by hanging a training dummy and giving it the name of their previous Head Gamemaker, who had died that way. 

She also told Thorin how President Snow made her wear her wedding dress for her interview. The dress had been designed by Cinna and voted by people from the Capitol from a pool of other twenty-four dresses. And then she told Thorin about Cinna’s rebellious creation as he made her dress to disintegrate as the designer turned her into a Mockingjay right at the time of her interview, putting even more fire inside the real rebellion. 

“They killed him because of that, Thorin. They murdered him. My friend Cinna! They killed him the next day in front of me seconds before the games started!” 

Katniss pulled him for another hug, and after a couple of minutes, she ended up deciding to lay down her head on his lap as she mourned her friend in silence. Thorin, in his turn, started slowly stroking her soft wavy hair again, as her loose dark mane had finally dried now. A quick glimpse at his company informed him that his men were already sleeping. Only Dwalin and Balin remained awake on patrol, no doubt hoping to exchange a few words with him. 

A look back at his lap told him that the girl laying her head on it had finally succumbed to sleep. Probably for the best, he thought, considering she had revived more than enough of her troubled past for this evening. Careful not to wake her, he got up carrying her in his arms, gathered their belongings, put out the small fire with his boots, and returned to the camp. 

As soon as he got back, Thorin could tell by the visible tension between Balin and Dwalin that both his friends had been rehearsing that conversation long before he arrived. He knew that he had made some undeniable controversial choices when he revealed his affection for the girl, and now he was about to find out what were the full consequences of his actions. 

But before facing them, he tenderly placed Katniss on her bed mat and then covered her with his spare cloak which was still in her possession. After leaving her belongings next to her, he went to the place where the sons of Fundin were waiting for him. Balin was the first to speak. 

“How is the Lass doing?” 

“Grieving. She has been telling me things about her past…” 

“The reasons behind her nightmares?” 

“Aye,” Thorin confirmed as he had a sip of the whisky he carried on, “and despite all the time we spent there, she is yet to finish her tale. It was a big ordeal. The one that she has been forced to go through…” 

“I thought it would be. Soldier’s fatigue like the ones she is having do not appear without a valid reason.” 

Thorin nodded in agreement as he took another sip of his drink. He knew that Balin was mainly making small talk, fearing that he would say something that Thorin would not like to hear. 

“How bad did they take it?” Thorin asked at once. One thing that he truly hated was when people started treading on eggshells around him, holding back things they knew he would not like to hear. 

“Overall, very bad. Well, to be fair, your nephews were delighted regardless.” 

Thorin gave Balin a weak smirk after hearing that.  _ Obviously _ , Fíli and Kíli would have been delighted. They had been trying to set him up with any female they met since he could remember. 

“But the Lass not being a dwarf was not even the main issue here,” Balin said seriously. 

Thorin frowned after hearing this new piece of information. What else could anyone have a problem with if not the fact that she was not a dwarf? 

“Thorin, she is a bairn!” Dwalin spat, finally losing his not so great patience “the hobbit tauld us while ye two were gettin’ aw cosy together. She is nae even of age yet!” 

Thorin opened his eyes widely, clearly caught by surprise from that revelation. 

“What do you mean by she is not even of age yet?” 

“I mean exactly wha’ I said! The hobbit tauld us that ‘er comin’ of age birthday is in two days! Tha’ would make ‘er less than sixty years old if she was a dwarf!” 

Thorin opened his eyes wide and shook. 

“No! It can’t be…!” Thorin started denying, but deep inside he knew that it was a real possibility. 

“As I’ve been telling, coming of age for men is a completely different affair than it is for us dwarrow, brother. They age and mature at a very different pace…” Balin tried to reason, but Dwalin was not having it. 

“Thorin, she is considered a bairn among ‘er own folk!” Dwalin grunted. “Ye can nae be seriously considerin’ courtin’ ‘er after learnin’ tha’, can ye? She should nae even be travellin’ with us in the first place!” 

Thorin grunted before he downed a generous dose of his personal stash of whisky. He knew that she was young even for the standards of men, but he did not know that she was _ that  _ young. Though… should he really be that surprised? After all, she had told him that the Capitol sent people’s children to compete at their sickening Hunger Games. 

Thorin could not help but feel ashamed for having had thoughts about her for the past week, even though he knew these feelings that were hastily growing inside his chest were beyond his control. 

Dwarrow cherished children more than anything. Thorin could honestly see why his men had a bad reaction after seeing their King considering pursuing a human child as a possible match. He would probably have had a fit if any of his men appeared to show a love interest to a young woman or dwarrowdam who was still officially considered a child by their own. 

“Let’s not forget she is going to be considered of age in two days, and Thorin did not know, brother” Balin said. 

Dwalin grunted but did not say anything after that. Thorin avoided looking at them in the eyes and had another sip of his drink for good measure. Thorin knew that the best course of action for him would be to keep his distance from Katniss. His unrequited feelings were only getting stronger, and he did not think that he would ever be able to push her away if she went after his company again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a pain to write. I am not even going to say sorry about the delay. I lost the count of times I re-wrote this thing and I am still not sure, but here we go. 
> 
> Lemme know yer thoughts!


	8. Chapter 8: Old traditions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blame my delay on updating on my new interest in making homemade bread. My neighbours are quite pleased though...

When Katniss woke up the next day, she could tell that there was a different atmosphere among the company. This invisible tension hovering in the air was making the majority of the company members exchange odd looks every time she approached. Some of them seemed to be uncomfortable with her presence. Others were overly concerned about her wellbeing, offering to do small things for her, giving her extra food and being quite insisting that she should take someone to stand guard whenever she needed to do her business in the woods. To say that Katniss did not take well the company’s sudden change when dealing with her was an understatement. 

“I don’t care if this place is full of mutts, wargs or worse! If anybody here dares to follow me, they will find one of my arrows stuck in their eye socket! Did I make myself clear?” 

Katniss believed that she probably had made her point, as she was unable to spot anyone else but birds and squirrels when she went to care for her personal needs that morning. 

However, one person that Katniss failed to spot that morning was Thorin. He was not even around when they were eating breakfast. She had asked his whereabouts to the company, but they all just seemed to give her a pitiful look and tell her that they did not know where their leader was. 

Katniss thought that after telling him all those horrendous memories last night, Thorin would at least want to check on how she was faring. But that did not happen. For some weird reason, his absence and lack of interest made her feel a knot inside of her chest. 

Katniss could bet that the king in exile had to be the reason behind the awkward way that the company was treating her. However, he only came back when the company was about to depart. Not wanting to wait to confront him about it any longer, she galloped her horse forward to the front of the company where Thorin was riding in silence alongside Dwalin and Balin. 

“You!” she grunted at Thorin in an accusing tone. “What did you tell them?” 

Thorin, who was not used to being confronted in such a manner, especially in front of his men, frowned at her. 

“May I ask you what crimes I am being convicted of?” Thorin asked gritting his teeth as he tried to control his own temper. 

“You told the things I told you last night to the company!” 

“I did not do such a thing!” 

“So why are they all treating me like I am a china doll? Come on, you must have told them something!” 

“I gave you my word, Miss Everdeen. I would never betray the trust you placed upon me last night! It pains me that you are thinking so lowly of me…” 

“If you did not tell them, then why are they treating me like I am suddenly frail?” 

“Thorin is tellin’ ye the truth, Lass,” Dwalin decided to intervene. “It was wha’ the hobbit said… abou’ ye nae being of age…” 

It took a few seconds for Katniss to comprehend what he was talking about. 

“First of all, the hobbit has a name, it is Bilbo! I’m getting fed up of hearing you lot calling him ‘the hobbit’. Secondly, I’m going to be eighteen tomorrow, so there is no need for all this fuss…” 

“Eighteen!? Mahal forgive us aw! Ye er a wee bairn!” 

“I am a  _ what _ ?” Katniss frowned her eyebrows and grunted at him. 

“A child, Lass!” 

“I am not a child! I have been providing for my family since I was eleven years old. I stopped being a child a long time ago, Mister Dwalin!” 

Dwalin grunted at her but decided to remain quiet otherwise. 

“Forgive my brother, Miss Katniss. But we are dwarves, and our people age at a different pace. We also might be under the impression that eighteen years of age might still be a bit too young, even for a daughter of man…” 

Katniss stopped for a moment to wonder what her answer should be. Balin did have a point. In some ways, eighteen was still considered too young in Panen as well, if being able to apply to tessera and still having their name placed inside the reaping bowl was anything to judge it by. However, there were many rights that she would have legally acquired if she was still living at the Seams of District Twelve. Thus, she decided to focus on those instead of listing all the things that would only make her look more like a child in their eyes. 

“Well, from tomorrow on, I would be able to legally get married without parental permission if that was something I wanted to do.” 

The three dwarves exchanged a meaningful look among themselves upon hearing that new piece of information. She got their surprise as a hint to carry on. 

“My district allows marriage from anyone older than sixteen with parental permission, though I have heard that in other Districts they might be allowed to marry as young as fourteen years old. From tomorrow on, I could also apply for a room in a shared house if I wanted to leave my family home. I would also be allowed to drop my education in order to seek full-time employment if that was what I needed or wanted to do.” 

She then went quiet as she tried to think what she would do at Twelve if she was turning eighteen and home. Only then that she remembered. Twelve was no longer her home. It had been destroyed by the Capitol. That place no longer existed. She was not sure what District Thirteen policy for turning eighteen would be like. Though, whatever it was, she was almost certain that rules for the Mockingjay of the rebellion would be more likely to be different from normal civilians. 

“Aw righ’, Lass! It seems like for yer folk, ye might be an adult tomorrow. But tonigh’, ye still a wee bairn!” 

Katniss rolled her eyes and grunted in annoyance, making Thorin and Balin exchange smirks at her expense. 

“Is it a common occurrence for your people to get married that young?” Balin asked, making Thorin change his body posture due to his eagerness to hear her answer. His slight change did not go unnoticed to the sons of Fundin, though Katniss was completely oblivious to it. 

“I think it varies from couple to couple. My mother married when she was twenty years old, though my father was fifteen years older than she was. I know about a girl who married at sixteen, but it is not very common to get married before you are at least eighteen.” 

“Do your people have any special traditions when it comes to marriage?” Balin asked again. 

“Yes, we have a few. There is obviously the official part of signing the marriage contract at the registry office. The bride always joins her husband’s family, and she takes his name and address. For example, my mother was from a wealthy family, but she had to move to the Seams when she married my father. The bride might wear a white dress and they might have a meal with their close family and friends if they can afford it. But for us from District Twelve, the real marriage happens when the newly-wedded couple crosses the threshold of their new home and make their first fire together and then toast and share some bread.” 

Katniss remembered Peeta informing the entire Panen that they had done the Toasting ceremony in secrecy, and then she wondered if she would ever end up actually doing it. Then her eyes met Thorin’s and she started to wonder if he had done a similar tradition with his own wife. For some reason, that thought made her feel a sharp pain as if someone had twisted a knife inside her chest. She tried to discreetly take a deep breath to calm herself down before she was able to ask the question that was itching to leave her mouth. 

“How about your people? What are your marriage traditions?” 

The three dwarves exchanged looks among themselves before Thorin decided to take the lead and answer her question. 

“It appears that our people do share quite a few traditions, Miss Everdeen. It is also our costume for the bride to join her husband's family, the exception being when it is a marriage of a royal princess - in that case, her husband joins her family instead. That was the case of my sister Dis, that I know you recall. It is also our costume for the dwarrow man to light a fire as soon as he brings his newly wedded wife to his halls, though our first toast is done with wine, not bread.” 

She left a gasp of surprise to escape her lips after hearing that, and he paused for a moment to observe her reaction before he decided to carry on. 

“There are two ways to bind a marital bond in dwarrow tradition: through a marriage contract or through having sexual relations. Only one is required for the couple to be considered married, but doing one does not annulate the need of doing the other.” 

“But how can you tell if a couple had done it or not? Can’t people just fake it?” Katniss said with a slight blush on her cheeks as she remembered how Peeta lied for the entire Panen by telling at a national broadcast that she was pregnant. 

“The newly wedded exchange hair beads and they braid each others’ hair just after they consummate the marriage, so that cannot be contested.” 

“Your hair - I mean, your bead - must look very nice on your wife’s hair, Thorin…” Katniss said in the middle of a blushing attack. 

“Oh, I am not married, Katniss,” Thorin said with sparkles in his eyes as he tried - and failed to hide a smile. 

“Oh, that is good!” Katniss said, getting surprised by her own euphoric feeling after discovering that he was not married. “I mean, that is… good… that you can still… marry someone… I guess? I mean, just forget that I said anything, ok?” 

Thorin nodded incapable of hiding his grim, whereas a blushing Katniss avoided making eye contact with him at all costs, as she tried to figure out why on Earth she was feeling so happy that Thorin was not married. She was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she completely failed to notice the low whisper that Dwalin threw at his brother. 

“I give it one yer.” 

“One year? At this pace, I don’t think they will last to Durin’s day…” Balin answered. 

Thorin grunted as he tried to look cross with both brothers, but he failed to look grumpy for once in his life. Perhaps his feelings were not as unrequited as he feared they were. 

  
  


\------------------ 

When it was time for them to set camp that afternoon, Katniss had a bit of a fight with Thorin as he decided that she should stay and help out inside the camp instead of going on a hunt with Kíli and Fíli. Katniss crossed her arms, stomped away and rolled her eyes in annoyance at this new overprotective police of the dwarves. 

“You should start behaving like an adult if you want to be treated like one!” Thorin groaned at Katniss, following her with his head. 

But gritted her teeth in anger at his comment but decided not to engage in a fight this time. Instead, she started setting the snares, a task that lately had belonged mainly to Fíli, as having Katniss and Kíli hunting as archers tended to be a much more effective way to gather game. It annoyed her that her snares did not look nearly as good as the ones made by Thorin’s nephews, and when they came back, that much would be obvious. 

Nonetheless, she did it as quickly as she could and then moved on to help out in other small tasks around the camp. When she was trying to find dry wood for the fire, she spotted a huge cluster of small white flowers, which she promptly recognised as wild onions. She placed the firewoods on the side and quickly bent down on her knees and started to extract them from the ground. 

“Why are you stopping to collect flowers, Lady Katniss? Is it a present for Uncle?” Kíli asked her with that usual glint on his eyes that Katniss was starting to associate with him being up to no good. 

“Why would Thorin want flowers?” she frowned. “They are wild onions, Kíli,” she said, pointing at the white bulb the size of her thumb at the flowers’ root. 

“Oh…” Kíli said, sounding a bit disappointed as he kneeled to help her with the job of gathering them. 

“How was the hunt, anyway? What are we having tonight?” she said masking her frustration of not being allowed to join him that afternoon. 

“We got four rabbits that are already being roasted!” he said with pride. 

“These onions should roast nicely alongside it…” 

“Uncle and Dwalin asked me to summon you back. I think it might be time for your sword lesson.” 

“They can wait a bit longer…” she grunted as she carried on with her task of removing the onions from the ground. Kíli opened his eyes wide open in surprise. 

“You are deliberately willing to keep uncle waiting?” 

Katniss shrugged her shoulders. 

“I’m not your Uncle’s biggest fan right now.” They were almost halfway done on collecting all the onions available. Katniss bit her lip as she wondered whether she should ask him the question that was bothering her. 

“Kíli, what were you and the others betting on last night?” 

“Us? Betting? We would never dream of doing such a thing, my Lady!” 

“Cut the crap, Kíli. I’m not an idiot. I know you were placing bets using your secret sign language last night, and my guess is that somehow  _ I  _ have something to do with it. I’m just not sure how or why.” 

“You are perceptive…” 

“Come on Kíli, speak out” 

“Aw right. You really are a younger female version of him, did you know that?” 

Katniss crossed her arms and frowned her eyebrows at him, as she tried not to lose her temper as she waited for his answer. 

“That wager was on whether Uncle would send you away or if he would welcome you to stay there.” 

“Is that it?” 

“Aye. I give you my word.” 

“You are a funny bunch. What a pointless thing to be making a wager of…” 

It was Kíli’s turn to cross his eyebrow as he felt confused by her statement. Or at least, until he slowly understood why she could think that his Uncle public display of interest in her would be a pointless minor thing to them. 

“You really don’t know what that meant, do you?” 

“What don’t I know?” Katniss asked, squinting her eyes in puzzlement as she finished pulling the last onion root from the ground. 

But before Kíli had a chance to elaborate his line of thought to their company’s official heroine, Thorin appeared just from behind towering over them. 

“Kíli! Katniss!” Thorin called them with his arms crossed and clear annoyance on his face. “Why are you taking so long?” 

“Hey, Thorin. We were just about to head back to the camp.” Katniss stood up and turned over to face him, carrying a flower bouquet of more than one hundred wild onions in her hand. 

Thorin opened his eyes in shock when he noticed the flower bouquet on her hands. For a split second, he thought they could be a present for him, but then she turned them upside down and only then he recognised them for what they were. 

“Then come quickly and don’t waste our time. The possibility of an attack is real, and you still have a lot to learn before we can trust you with a real blade.” 

Despite still begrudging Thorin for not allowing her to go hunting that afternoon, Katniss nodded and followed him. 

\----- 

Dwalin still conducted their training but this time Thorin was present, observing it. It was clear that despite having started their training exactly at the same time, Katniss was already one or two levels ahead than their burglar. Even though that did not surprise him, he could not help the sense of pride that he felt for her. She had no trouble mastering the beginner's defensive arm movements and the basis of footwork. 

Before the end of that session, he went to Katniss and asked her to train sword fighting with him. It was not a proper sparring session, more like an attacked-defence exercise using sticks instead of real swords. Thorin instructed her to block his advances using the movements that she had learned from Dwalin. Considering that was her first time doing that, she was doing astonishingly well. Even though there were still lots of issues with her posture and footwork that would need to be addressed, she did stand on her guard and somehow managed to block his blows. By the end of the session, she looked completely exhausted. 

She went over to her shoulder bag to grab her futuristic transparent water bottle and downed it at one single go. 

“So, do you want me to be escorted to refill this?” Katniss asked in a sarcastic tone of voice, which Thorin answered with a frown. There was obviously no need to escort her, as they were still at the water marshalls and therefore were surrounded by water. He was just turning around and to leave her without saying anything else, but she stopped him. 

“Wait!” she said, getting hold of his arms. “Thorin, I’m sorry! I was just joking,” he turned back to face her and she felt encouraged to carry on. “I’m sorry for accusing you of telling the others about my past this morning and I…,” she stopped and took a deep breath as if it pained her to say that last bit “and I  _ am  _ sorry for being such a brat about your decision of not putting me on hunt duty today. I’m not used to being mollycoddled, that’s all.” 

Thorin gave her a short nod in acknowledgement and acceptance of her apologies. 

“I know that you have a natural ability with the bow. You and Kíli are by far the best archers we have. But that does not mean that others are unable to do that job. It is good for the group to rotate the tasks every now and then.” 

“Are you trying to tell me that your decision had nothing to do with my age?” she said in a way that showed that she did not believe that for a single minute. 

“That weighed heavily on my decision, yes. You need to understand that dwarves age at a different pace than your race. And for us, there is usually a gap between ten to thirty years between a dwarf being considered of age and until they start to be treated as an adult, so forgive me and my kin for being a bit patronizing and overprotective.” 

“Thirty years!?” she repeated with her eyes opened wide in shock. 

“Aye. Although that respect can be achieved much sooner depending on the dwarf’s deeds and accomplishments. My guess is that if the others knew about the things you went through, many would be able to see you through a different light in this regard,” 

“I think that talking about that with you last night was quite enough…” she said, stepping back uncomfortably. 

“I understand. How are you faring?” 

“I don’t remember having any nightmares last night, so better than I would have hoped for…” 

“You actually did seem to have another nightmare, but I helped you go back to sleep before you were fully awake…” 

“Did you?” 

“Aye,” Thorin changed his body posture feeling amused by her surprise. “I’ve done that a couple of times.” 

“Thank you.” 

He nodded in acknowledgement and there was a deep silence between them, where they stared at each other. Katniss felt her heart race as she faced that deafening silence that was so common between them, that had almost become a routine now. 

Bofur was walking in their direction to inform them that dinner was ready, but he decided to turn back once he noticed the tension between the duo. Oin did the same thing when he went to inform Thorin that he had just checked on the injured pony and it appeared to be doing better. Dori also went over to ask if they would want to have a rabbit leg, but then he frowned at Thorin, shook his head and also turned his back to them. 

“We probably should join the others,” Katniss said at last after a few minutes. He nodded and they walked back to the campfire side by side. 

\---------------- 

That evening Katniss went back to seating at her usual spot next to Bilbo and Gandalf instead of staying next to their leader. While they ate, Ori started asking her questions about how different things were in the future. After describing some of the technology that they were unfamiliar with such as vigilance cameras, guns and tv broadcasting, she decided to pass over some of the technology that she had with her. That meant that they all had a chance to try on her night-vision glasses, examine her purifier water bottle, be amazed by her head torch, feel mesmerized by her lighter, throw confused looks at her gas mask, poke and doubt that her communicator ever worked, though finding it very useful that it could inform the time and setting an alarm. 

Bilbo, Oin and Ori were very interested in her family book about herbs, and they all asked if they could borrow it to have a read. Cinna’s sketchbook, on the other hand, proved to be a bit scandalous, as some of the designs he made for her presented bare arms, back and sometimes even her legs would be on display. Even though Katniss usually wasn’t much of a fan of showing off much of her skin if she had any saying on it, she felt an urge to defend her old friends’ work. 

“He also made me this armour, you know? This was his last creation,” she said looking at Thorin, who immediately made the connection with the friend she was mourning over the previous night. 

Once everyone had enough of examining her futuristic belongings, Bofur, Nori, Fíli and Kíli started to sing and play the notes of a dwarrow merry tune. After they were done, they somehow convinced Bilbo to sing and teach them a drinking song from the Shire. Katniss hadn’t seen the hobbit look as happy as he was when talking about the Green Dragon pub and their apparently excellent ale. Katniss noticed that Thorin was still throwing glances in her direction, which she returned until she was interrupted by Fíli asking if she could present them with a song from her time as well. 

Katniss did not know many merry tunes, but there was a very old one that her father taught her that seemed more appropriate for the company’s mood. And so she sang it, making every single creature around, even the birds, to look at her speechless. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review?


	9. Chapter 9: the ancestrals of a songbird

When Katniss finished her song everyone carried on in silence. The majority of the dwarves had their eyes and mouth wide open in astonishment, Thorin included among them. A few though, like Gloin and Oin looked almost offended, Dwalin seemed to be taken off balance and Nori was narrowing his eyes looking from Thorin to Katniss, as if he was trying to build up the courage to say something. Gandalf looked amazed, and Bilbo was looking from one dwarf to the other as if he was trying to figure out what was going on. However, it was Balin who decided to break that silence.

“Lass… where did you learn this song?”

“My father taught me…” she answered as she started feeling a bit self-conscious as she could clearly notice the heavy atmosphere that was hanging within the company.

“And where did your father learn that from?”

“From his Mother, I believe…” 

“And where, in Mahal’s name, did your Grandmother come across this?”

“I don’t know. How can I? I never met her. She died before I was even born.” Katniss said defensively. “What is the big deal about it anyway? This is just an old song. Doesn’t really mean anything...”

All the dwarves looked at each other in shock at her confession before they began to argue fervently in their secret native language. Her statement also made Gandalf look at Katniss as if she had suddenly grown another head. 

“Gandalf, what is going on?” Bilbo asked the wizard. Katniss tried to get near them so she could hear the wizard’s answer as well.

“Quiet, Bilbo. I am trying to understand that myself…” Gandalf then focused all his attention to the group of dwarves who were having a heated discussion in Khuzdul. Bilbo and Katniss exchanged a confused look, as they were sure to be the only ones who were not following anything of what was going on.

The song that she had sung was about a beloved father who was a smith and had seven children, each with their own charms and peculiarities. For her, that song was about a father teaching their children to cherish and treat their lovers with the same care that they would dedicate to refine the most precious jewel. For her, it was an innocent meaningless old song. But for them, that was nothing but a crude version of one of their most sacred songs that had never been sung for outsiders or even translated from their secret language. 

Many other meanings and analogies were lost on her translation. Instead of acclaiming and praising their father Mahal, her song talked about an old smith father. Yavanna had also become the mother of trees and birds. Her adaptation did not name the seven clans, and only listed some of their peculiarities instead.

“Katniss,” Thorin shouted her name, taking her off guard. “Is this song common knowledge among your people?”

“No. I don’t think I recall hearing it apart when I was in the woods with my father. Thorin, what is going on?” Katniss asked, but she was promptly ignored as he started talking quickly in Khuzdul with his men again. After a shorter time, Thorin directed his word to her again.

“What do you know about Mahal?” 

“Who?” she asked with a frown.

“Mahal, the Maker, Aulë, Návatar, the Smith,”

“Is this to do with the smith father from my song?”

“Not your song, Lass. Our song.” Nori corrected her, making her feel even more confused than what she already was.

“What do you know about the Valar, Katniss?” Thorin asked again.

“What is a Valar?” Katniss inquired. 

The high amount of whispers among the company were quite big after that. Even Bilbo was looking at her baffled.

“If anyone had any doubt that the Lass has no idea what she was singing about, that is your proof.” Bofur declared in common.

“What are you all talking about?”

“The Valar, Katniss - the ones who helped Eru, Ilúvatar to shape Arda.” Gandalf answered. There was an undeniable affliction on his face that announced just how worried he was to learn that this girl from the future had no idea about who the Valar were.

“Eru?” she frowned her eyebrows even harder, making everybody gasp. 

“The father of all, the creator of the world!” Gandalf tried again.

“You mean… like a God from a religious cult?” she guessed as she felt a bit uncomfortable to even verbalise that notion. “These have been forbidden for centuries, I believe. I am not exactly sure if that happened before or after the collapse of modern civilization, but it certainly happened way before the First Rebellion.”

That announcement followed a dead silence. The mere idea that there would be a day where people no longer knew about the Valar seemed eerie enough for all of them. Even Gandalf had been taken back by this new information.

“Are you telling me that this song about the old smith and mother nature that my father taught me was originally a song from a cult?” Katniss asked him doubtfully. 

While all the other members of the company stared at her in shock, Gandalf looked at her with pity and compassion. Considering what the dwarves had said, adding that to his previous suspicion and what he now had discovered about her and the era she lived, it became clearer than ever to him why Katniss had been chosen by the Valar to help Thorin and his company to accomplish that mission.

“The Valar are not a religion or cult, at least not in the sense you are thinking, Katniss. The Valar just are. They are the air you breathe, the stars, the water from the rivers and seas, the forest and mountains, the sun and the moon and every being that has ever lived. They are the ones who gave shape and form for all these things and more, and all these things are them as well.”

Even though her natural reaction would probably be to deny such affirmations, there was a powerful force within Gandalf’s speech that made her take everything he said as truth. Or at very least to shake all the knowledge and preconceptions about the world and life that she held until that moment. 

“Right. But how does any of this have anything to do with that song?”

There was a silence where all the dwarves exchanged glances before Thorin decided to speak.

“You sang a translated version of one of our secret songs that should never have been translated or sung in any other language that is not our own.” Thorin calmly explained to her. 

“Oh…” she exclaimed, finally understanding all the fuss that the dwarves were making about it. “Why would my father and grandfather know a version of your song?”

“Exactly. Why would they?” Gloin asked, narrowing his eyes towards her in suspicion.

“I might have a theory that would answer this question.” Gandalf said, “Though, I was hoping to hear the opinion of other members from my order on the matter before I revealed it to you...”

“Tell us now, Tharkûn. If this involves my people I want to know.” Thorin demanded.

“Very well.” Gandalf nodded at him before he turned his attention back to Katniss. “When I first met you at Bilbo’s home, some magical force allowed me to see some of your memories, Katniss.”

She gasped in shock but allowed him to carry on.

“While I was surprised by your futuristic origins, there was also something else about you that made me wonder that you might not be solely human. Your mental and physical strength and resilience to overcome the burdens that have befallen on you; your natural stubbornness, harshness and even your physical appearance - as you certainly are much shorter and have a little bit more facial hair than it would be considered normal for the average daughter of man to have.”

Thorin and the others also seemed taken back by that revelation. Katniss opened her mouth in a rare display of emotions. She always attributed her short stature to her low nutrition during her childhood, but if she stopped to think about, she was on the smaller side even among other girl's that did not have much more to eat than she had. And yes, maybe her eyebrows were a little too thick, and yes, she had hair on her upper lips and she also had thick sideburns, but it was not that unusual among women in Seams in District Twelve.

“Even so, a dwarf you are not. That much is clear by other aspects of your physical appearance and also by the quick way you seem to age. But now you have come to demonstrate knowledge of a song that only dwarrows were supposed to know. A song that was passed on to you through your father and his father before that. That just placed more weight on my previous theory that even though you are clearly not a dwarf, perhaps you could be a dwarf descendant.”

“You mean to say… that Lady Katniss is our kin?” Ori was the first dwarf to reach that conclusion.

“Yes, I believe she is” Gandalf confirmed.

“But she didn't even know what a dwarf was a few days ago!” Dori contested.

“Many generations are likely to have passed since a full dwarf has been present on Katniss’ family tree. Enough generations to dilute her dwarrow blood so she can unquestionably pass by a full human, but not enough to erase all these little characteristics and traits I noticed. Pretty much like your song, which has lost its meaning and no longer is sung in your sacred language. But despite all odds, survived.”

“Like a Mockingjay...” Katniss whispered to herself and looked at Gandalf, who nodded in agreement. There was a small moment of silence where she reorganised her thoughts before she spoke again.

“Are you trying to tell me that one of them...” Katniss said as she pointed to the dwarves “could be my Great-great-great-grandfather?”

“I believe that it could be many more generations down the line than that, Katniss, but yes, it is unlikely, but not impossible.”

There was a long silence where all the dwarves looked at Katniss and she looked back at them, as they all contemplated that possibility. 

“I would love it if you were my Great-great-great-granddaughter, Lass!” Bombur said with a glint of affection in his eyes.

“Don’t be ridiculous! She is way too pretty to be even remotely related to you.” Bofur told his brother, making the entire company laugh and Katniss to blush.

“How sure are you of this, Tharkûn?” Thorin asked at last.

“Sure enough to verbalize my suspicions to you all, although as I said, I would feel much more assured if I could get a second opinion on the matter. The Valar must have their reason for choosing her specifically for aiding on your quest. And I believe that you might agree when I say that Katniss does bear some resemblance to Durin’s folk…”

Katniss and Thorin exchanged another intense glare. While Katniss wondered what his thoughts were on the matter, Thorin admitted that she did indeed have some few features that reminded him of his own kinsfolk. He turned back to his men and announced his decision.

“Miss Everdeen is clearly not a dwarf, but somehow she is our kin. And as such, she should be treated. If anyone has any problem with that, they should address their concerns directly to me.”

That said, he turned around and walked away from the camp as he felt like he needed some time alone to process all that new information he had learned about Katniss Everdeen. 

All the other dwarves remained on their spot, and slowly the conversation returned to the camp. Katniss, on the other hand, stood up willing to seek out his companionship. For some weird reason, she felt like she needed to hear from him that nothing had changed between them. However, Balin stopped her by gently placing his hand on her shoulders as she was about to leave.

“Where do you think you are going, Lassie?” 

“I want to talk to Thorin.”

“Can’t that wait until tomorrow? It is almost time for everyone to retire. And you should get some rest, as you will be doing the last watch if I’m remembering it right.”

She gave him a smile. For some reason, the gentle soul of the old white-haired dwarf reminded her of Mags, and she found his company comforting. Besides, Thorin seemed to hold a high respect for him, so Katniss felt like he could be trusted for now.

“I just wanted to understand what he meant when he said that now I should be treated as kin…”

“Oh that. Don’t you worry Lassie. I don’t think much is going to change for you, as we already treat you with the utmost respect. Although do not be surprised if you notice an increase in overprotectiveness from our part.”

Katniss grunted in frustration.

“I don’t think I can handle more fussing over me, Balin.”

“That is our nature, Lassie. Dwarves are extremely protective of their women and children, and at the moment you seem to be part of both these categories.”

“I thought we at least had agreed that I am no longer a child!” she said the last word almost if she was taking offence by the mere suggestion of it.

“Forgive these old dwarrow ways, Lassie. But you need to understand that for our people there is a big gap between being of age and being considered an adult…”

Katniss grunted in frustration again.

“Thorin did mention something about that…”

“Aye. And he must indeed believe that you already did more than enough to prove yourself on this matter. The fact that he assigned you for a watch tonight is proof of that.”

She nodded in understanding. They looked over their shoulders and noticed that the majority of the company was starting to lay down on their sleeping mats.

“Thorin is a wonderful leader for our people. I trust his judgment. I know that he would not seek and cherish your company otherwise. Off you go, Lassie...” Balin said the last bit pointing at her sleeping mat. 

Katniss nodded in acknowledgement and as goodnight before she tucked herself underneath her cloak. She ended up sleeping a few moments later thinking about what Balin said about Thorin seeking and cherishing her presence.

\----------------

  
  


Katniss’s birthday celebrations started by her being woken up by another nightmare. Fortunately, she did not wake the entire company, and it was almost time for her watch duty anyway. Dawn came, and the day went on just as the others. A big breakfast followed by a long horse-riding until it was late-afternoon. 

Katniss was pleased when Thorin announced that not only she was due to join the hunting party that day, but he decided to take part in it as well. So she went on a hunt together with Thorin and Balin for the very first time. Katniss noticed that Balin stayed a bit behind, almost as if he wished to give her and Thorin some privacy, but she did not say anything. Soon they trapped a large group of wild ducks, and grabbed as many they could carry back to the camp alongside some eggs. Katniss also insisted on grabbing some wild onions and garlic that she spotted once again.

“Thorin, I was wondering… after training, when dinner is ready… if you would like to go off somewhere with me and hear the rest of what happened at my second Hunger Games.”

She did not say that quietly, and Balin was able to hear it as well. Thorin exchanged a look with his friend before he nodded at her in agreement.

“Sure.”

However, there was no training that evening. When they came back she found that the dwarves had decided to fix some sort of starter meal by roasting some of the nuts from the provisions they were carrying. They were seated in a circle around the fire, and most of the dwarves already had a musical instrument on their hands. To say that Katniss was moved by the gesture was an understatement. The last time she remembered to have such a pleasant surprise on her birthday was when her father was alive. She quickly claimed a spot next to the place where she knew that Thorin would be seated. They were slowly managing to break through all her mental walls with their kindness.

The music started as Thorin and Balin handed the ducks to be prepared by Bombur and Bifur, as the roast meat would be their main source of food that evening. They played and sang many different tunes that she had never heard before. When they asked her to sing another song, she felt a bit wary, considering what had happened the previous night, but an encouraging look from Thorin made her go ahead and sing the hanging tree song for them. She was not surprised to find they were unfamiliar with that one.

“Very catchy tune, Lass.” Bonfur complemented “we could try adding some instruments next time.”

“A bit spooky for my taste…” Ori said.

“Yes, my mother forbade my Sister and I to sing that song when she found us putting ropes around our necks…”

“Sensible Lass! That is no tune tae teach young ones” Dwalin grunted.

Katniss gave him a murderous glare. She had to agree that Dwalin had a point, but not standing up for her father’s parenting would feel like some sort of betrayal to her.

“There are many things that children should never have to face, but that they are forced to go through where I came from…”

“Would ya like tae talk abou’ that, Lass?” Dwalin asked.

Katniss felt a bit dazed. Even though she knew they all gave no reasons for her to do anything but trust them, she still did not feel safe enough to open up like this with all of them. She was not ready to be put in such a vulnerable position through the entire company. At least not yet. She gave a pleading look to Thorin before she stood up, grabbed her shoulder bag and weapon and walked away from the camp. 

“She is not ready yet, Dwalin.” Thorin said standing up and gathering his own belongs to follow her. “But believe me when I say, she has been through more than the majority here have. And I haven’t finished hearing her tale yet.”

“Won’t you be needing a chaperone, Uncle?” Fíli said with glint in his eyes. 

“We volunteer!” Kíli exclaimed excitedly.

Thorin frowned at the duo, who laughed in response. 

“It won’t be necessary. I will bring her back within the company’s eyesight as soon as I can.” and with that, he left them to go after their heroine. 

\-----------------

Katniss was trying to use a makeshift fishing rod, with one of her fishing hooks attached on it to capture some fish at the marshes when Thorin arrived and sat down next to her. She carried on doing her thing, almost ignoring his presence. He decided to also make an improvised fishing rod, which did not take him too long, as Thorin, like all dwarves, seemed to possess a particular gift for making things. They remained like that for a while until he caught the first fish. 

“That is not fair! I have been here before you arrived.” 

“My bait is better than yours. Come here, amrâlimê. Let me show you…” Thorin gently said, savouring the taste of that sacred word in khuzdul coming out his lips for the very first time. _Love of mine,_ that was exactly what she was. 

He knew she would not understand its meaning, but the truth was that his heart already had chosen her. Even if she decided that she did not want him, he would still belong to her.

Katniss felt her heart beating fast as she narrowed the gap between them. She still had no idea why her body seemed to behave in so many awkward ways when they were so close like that. Still, she couldn't help but seek his addictive presence. She wished Prim, Madge or even her Mother were there for her to ask their opinion on that matter. She did her best to conceal the turmoil of feelings inside her as Thorin demonstrated how to use some old bread as fish bait. 

The word bread made her think about Peeta. And thinking about Peeta made her feel guilty. Nothing unusual about that. 

“What is wrong?” Thorin said sensing her sudden uneasiness.

“It’s nothing.”

“You are a bad liar.”

“No, I am not!”

“Yes, you are.”

“Would you like to hear the rest of my story? Maybe I can remind you how I lied for an entire nation.” she asked in an attempt to deflect his question. He noticed her strategy straight away but decided to fall for it regardless. At least this time.

“Sure.” he said as he felt another fish biting his bait. He pulled it out and it was quite a big one. “This should be enough for both of us. How about we make a fire near the company’s eyesight like we did last time and eat these while you carry on with your tale?”

“Sure.” she agreed and they stood up and they did as he suggested.

\-------------

  
  


As Thorin made a small fire and gutted the fishes, Katniss sat down and started narrating the rest of her story to him. It took her sometime to remember exactly where she had stopped.

“Did I tell you about when Peeta wiped all the other tributes’ interviews away by deciding to tell the entire country that we had married in secret and I was pregnant?”

Thorin dropped both fishes on the floor, his eyes wide open and his face was pale as a ghost.

“No.”

“Oh yeah, that is probably where I stopped then,” Katniss said with a smile as she pretended not having noticed the way he reacted. 

Somehow watching his reaction gave her an unfamiliar pleasant feeling on her stomach, which she believed that could only be hunger. Though if she was honest with herself, deep inside she knew that she never felt hunger in that particular way. 

“Oh, by the way, Peeta was lying. In the end we never ended up getting married, fake wedding or not. And obviously, it would be impossible for me to be pregnant as I had never… well, you know…” she said blushing. 

Thorin released a breath he did not know he was holding. Yes, he knew. And… would it be too pretentious of him to dream about a day where they could end up doing that together? He had never hoped to find someone who made him lose his north like Katniss did. Not after Smaug, not after he had witnessed his grandfather being beheaded by Azog. Not after his father disappeared. He had been calloused by the ills of life. Too wounded to allow somebody else to break through his walls. There was so much darkness inside him. Still… a look at her and he could not help bend down on her knees.

“Carry on, Ghivâshel.”

She gave him a funny look as she heard him calling her that foreigner strange word, but she carried on her tale nonetheless. And then she remembered what caused her meltdown last time - Cinna’s death. So she tried to go over it again as quickly as she could, by telling him how Snow aimed to affect her first moments at the arena by doing that.

Soon she saw herself telling him how she quickly swam to the Cornucopia and found Finnick Odair as soon she got her hands on her new bow. She told him how she almost killed him until he showed her Haymitch's golden bracelet on his wrist, and Katniss realised that was her mentor’s nonverbal order for her to trust him.

"I did not like Finnick when I first met him. His flirtatious ways made me feel sick. I knew he had many lovers at the Capitol, and that disgusted me. Only later I found out that Snow actually sold him and his body to many powerful people inside the Capitol." Thorin frowned his eyes looking a bit puzzled, so Katniss decided to clarify "Finnick was forced into prostitution, Thorin. That happened with many other victors as well. If they refuse, someone they love is killed. President Snow would probably have forced me to do the same if my role in that horror circus wasn't to convince every single soul in Panen, including myself, that I was in love with Peeta." 

Thorin was truly repulsed by that revelation. His One could have been forced to… he could not even voice how disgusted he felt. And here he thought that it was impossible for him to hate anything more than Smaug or Azog. That Snow fellow was making his blood boil with anger in a way that he did not feel for a long time. He cursed horrible words in Khuzdul and Katniss looked at him in puzzlement, but she did not say anything.

Instead, she carried on narrating how Finnick followed her lead, and soon he, Peeta, Mags and her were all walking inside the forest trying to find some water. She confessed to him that she almost killed Finnick a couple of times, as she knew that a break of an alliance would have to happen soon or later. 

“Haymitch told me later that is exactly why he could never allow me to make the plans. I can not distinguish a friend from a foe.”

Thorin could see the reason behind her mentor’s choice. Indeed, she was slowly warming up to the rest of the company, but he knew that she had trust issues that would be hard to overcome.

Then she told Thorin how Finnick ended up saving Peeta’s life by bringing him back by doing CPR on him and how she went berserk when she almost saw the boy dying in front of her eyes.

“This time I was not trying to win the games. I had already accepted and come to terms with my own death. They can only have one winner. I cheated the system last time, but I was certain that they would not let that happen again. My only motivation was to ensure that Peeta would be the one who would leave that place alive. At the first time I was trying to win the games for my Sister Prim. This time I was determined to help Peeta to win, because he was a much better person than I could ever hope to be.” 

“I wish you could see yourself through my eyes, Ghivâshel. You are an amazing person.”

She gave him a dry smile.

“No… I am a horrible person. Everywhere I go, everything I do… is followed by destruction, Thorin. My District would never have been destroyed if it wasn’t for me. I hate myself, Thorin. I really do. I wished so many times that I had died… that Peeta had died… that we all had died in that arena…”

“Don’t say that, amrâlimê.” he pleaded.

“I am not a good person, Thorin. Later there was a moment when we were being hunted by some kind of poisonous fog and I… I almost ran away to save my own skin and left Peeta there to die! The very person I had vowed to save! Finnick carried Peeta for me, but I could not save Mags for him! I was too weak. During the first Games the same thing happened. I did not want to go to the Cornucopia to get Peeta’s medicine. It was the fear of having to live with his death over my shoulders that made me save him.”

“No one can blame you for having survival instincts, Katniss.” He also thought that she probably did not love the boy as well, at least not in that way, but he decided to keep that opinion to himself. It would be better to let her reach that conclusion alone. 

At the same time, he decided to share some things that she had never discussed with anybody else before. 

“I hate myself as well, Katniss. I hate myself for being unable to protect Erebor from Smaug's attack. I hate that I fled while the majority of my people were left to die inside that mountain, my mother included among them. I hate that I survived and my younger brother Frerin died in the Battle of Azanulbizar. I hate that I was unable to find my father dead or alive. I feel so ashamed of myself that I have been trimming my beard for more than a century, Katniss.” he said the last bit staring at the ground. He could not remember ever being feeling more vulnerable than he was now.

It was then that he felt her cold small hands stroking his beard. He raised his eyes to look her in the eyes, she had a blush on her cheeks, almost as if she just realised what she was doing. She was biting the corner of her lip. Mahal, she was adorable! He got one of his hands on her own chin and eagerly waited for her to make a move.

He could feel his face burn and his heart was beating fast. He could also hear her own heart beating like a drum. She slowly narrowed the gap between them, and he closed his eyes, almost dreaming, hoping, begging for her kiss. And a kiss she gave him. Only that it was a kiss on the corner of his chin. 

Not exactly what he had hoped for, but he would take it. It was not an unwelcome feeling either. She lingered her soft lips on his hairy chin, for a while, and he opened his eyes and lifted her chin, even so slightly to bring her lips closer to the exact spot where he needed them to be. Their foreheads touched, he closed his eyes again and opened his mouth to invite her in, he could smell and feel the warmth of her breath. 

Only for her to push him away at the very last second and go to attend the fish that was still grilling. 

“I think they are ready,” she said as she fetched her water bottle and drank a generous amount from it. “It is hot in here, don’t you think?”

He tried to hide his frustration the best way he could, though he knew that he would be failing miserably at doing so.

“Yes…” he grunted.

Thorin could hear his sister’s son's laughter coming from far away behind him. They would never let him live it down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, but here it is at last! Please let me know your thoughts :)


	10. Chapter 10: Hair braiding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter’s mood was heavily influenced by the song “Fair Game” by Sia.

"This is our little secret, Myrtle, you must tell no one," Bilbo said as he gave an apple to his poney. What he failed to notice was that Katniss was just behind him. 

"You are spoiling it, Bilbo..." 

"I refuse taking advice on this matter from the woman who is completely refusing to name her own pony." 

"What do you mean? Pony is a perfectly fine name for a pony..." Katniss said with fake outrage as they walked back to the camp. 

"That is hardly true, Katniss." 

"Giving names to animals is the first step to get yourself attached to them. Trust me, I have seen this happening before..." 

There was a scream far away and Katniss rushed to get an arrow on her bow. 

"What is that?" Bilbo asked. 

"Orcs," Kili answered. 

Thorin who was sleeping woke up immediately after hearing the word 'orcs'. There was a second scream and Katniss saw herself walking towards the edge of the cliff ready to shoot if it was needed. 

"Throat-cutters. There'll be dozens of them out there. The lowlands are crawling with them," Fili said obviously teasing Bilbo. 

"They strike in the wee small hours when everyone's asleep. Quick and quiet; no screams. Just lots of blood," Kili completed. 

When the two brothers start laughing Katniss grunted in annoyance and was ready to tell them off, only that Thorin beat her on it. 

"You think that's funny? You think a night raid by orcs is a joke?" 

“We didn’t mean anything by it,” Kili said 

“No, you obviously didn’t. You two can be such bullies, posing as mighty dwarrow warriors! But you have no idea what fighting a real battle is like,” Katniss ranted at them, to Thorin’s surprise. 

“She is right. You know nothing of the world,” Thorin spat at them before he joined Katniss at the edge of the cliff. 

Balin went over to tranquillize both Princes. 

“Don’t mind him, laddie. Thorin has more cause than most to hate orcs. After the dragon took the Lonely Mountain, King Thror tried to reclaim the ancient dwarf kingdom of Moria. But our enemy had got there first. 

Katniss, who was just beside Thorin, noticed that the Dwarven King’s posture was tensing up. She started to wonder if she would finally learn some details about the nightmares that he had claimed to still seldomly haunt him. 

“Moria had been taken by legions of Orcs led by the vilest of all their race: Azog, the Defiler. The giant Gundabad Orc had sworn to wipe out the line of Durin. He began by beheading the King.” 

Thorin was closing his fits, and Katniss decided to give him a hug to express her sympathy to his tale. She turned her back to the cliff and hugged Thorin, who immediately hugged her back. 

“Thrain, Thorin’s father, was driven mad by grief. He went missing, taken prisoner or killed, we did not know. We were leaderless. Defeat and death were upon us.” 

Thorin was hugging her very tightly now. Katniss could really feel through his embrace how much that had affected the leader of their company. 

“That is when I saw him: a young dwarf prince facing down the Pale Orc. He stood alone against this terrible foe, his armour rent…wielding nothing but an oaken branch as a shield.” 

Thorin’s eyes were closed and she just knew that he was remembering, relieving every single detail from the battle that Balin was describing. Katniss narrowed the gap between their foreheads, making them touch, giving him all the support that she knew that he needed. 

“Azog, the Defiler, learned that day that the line of Durin would not be so easily broken. Our forces rallied and drove the orcs back. Our enemy had been defeated. But there was no feast, no song, that night, for our dead were beyond the count of grief. We few had survived.” 

She knew that pain well enough. She could be a victor, she could win battles for the rebels, but no matter what, the grief and loss was always higher. There were no real winners at war, a bitter truth that she unfortunately knew well enough by now. Katniss stroked Thorin’s cheeks, rubbing her hands on his beard in the process. He raised his hand to hold hers. 

“And I thought to myself then, there is one who I could follow. There is one I could call King.” 

Katniss' eyes were wide open when she noticed all the dwarves looking at Thorin in awe. He noticed her attention was on something behind him and he turned his back to her, so he could also see his entire Company awake and staring at him with admiration. Thorin walked back to the fire where his men were standing. 

“But the pale orc? What happened to him?” Bilbo asked. 

“He slunk back into the hole whence he came. That filth died of his wounds long ago.” and with that said, Thorin went back to the cliff where Katniss was still standing and observing him from afar. 

They all watched as their leader and their heroine sat down together on the cliff. Thorin started smoking his pipe while Katniss rested her head on his shoulders. 

“Do you know if she has kissed him yet, Master Balin?” Fíli asked. 

“Not that I am aware of, laddie. Which means that she probably didn’t. I am sure that your Uncle would be boasting about it if that was the case.” 

“But she clearly returns the affection?” Fili asked, turning his head towards the couple. “We are all witnesses. She is always the one who makes the first move.” 

“Aye, the way she is behaving, one would think she returns the feelings, yes. I told Thorin that perhaps she might be waiting for him to make the first move, unaware that this is not our way…” 

“We should tell her!” Kili urged. 

“I already offered to go over these things with her, alongside the stories of our people that I’m covering. But your Uncle doesn’t want us meddling with it, so let them be.” 

“Why?” 

“He said she might need some time to heal from the horrors she has lived. I don’t think that is a bad thing. Your Uncle still has many years ahead of him and she is still pretty young. They shall have a whole lifetime together if that is her choice...” 

“I wish she would share these horrors she’s gone through with us as well.” 

“I am sure she will when she feels ready, laddie. At least she shared them with your Uncle. It is not good to keep these things bottled up. Have you noticed that her nightmares are not as frequent now?” 

\------------ 

Katniss Everdeen wanted to kiss Thorin Oakenshield. 

Desperately. 

And she had no idea how to deal with that new urge that burst inside her chest on that day they went fishing together at the marshes. 

That feeling had been growing every day, and it felt so different from anything she had felt for Gale or Peeta. That scared her. It scared her because she felt like she was no longer in control of her own thoughts and actions. And she hated that sense of helplessness that came along with it. 

As soon as she realised her own desire, she considered staying away from him and let that feeling die out. Only to give up that plan almost immediately. Because somehow, without her even realizing, Katniss Everdeen was already in too deep. And now the mere idea of being unable to spend her evenings leaning her head on Thorin’s shoulders while she confessed her troubled past to him, terrified her. 

Thorin Oakenshield terrified her. He was not a lovesick boy from District Twelve that she could easily dismiss or ignore. He was a man, well, a dwarf, who was almost two hundred years old, and she knew that she could not toy with his feelings and go unpunished. Not that she had done that on purpose with Peeta and Gale. But she knew that if she was somehow careless with Thorin’s heart, she would have to answer twelve dwarf warriors for her crimes. 

Thorin terrified her. Because she could not tell if he returned her feelings or not. Thorin was unsailed waters. She was unable to read him. And despite feeling that they shared some sort of connection, Katniss was unsure if he felt the same thing she did, or if he felt something else entirely. Sometimes, she believed he was just being kind to a scared little girl who had a couple of nightmares. But the rest of the time, she could almost feel the desire emanating from him as well, emulating her own hunger like looking in a mirror. 

And what she was for him, after all? A member of his company? A troubled girl from a distant future? His kin? Or something else? Not knowing was making her lose her mind. Wherever it was, she knew that she could not bear to lose whatever it was they had together. Not after everything she had gone through. 

And still, what about Peeta? What about Gale? Didn’t she have feelings for them too? At least she thought she did. Snow clearly came to believe that she loved Peets as well, if the monstrosity he made with the boy was anything to judge it by. But… what kind of love was that? She did not know. Not that it mattered now, with Peeta so distant from her reach anyway. 

The only thing she knew was that it felt very different from whatever it was she was having with Thorin. At least, she had no recollection of losing her sleep trying to picture how Peeta’s or Gale’s lips would feel when pressed against hers. She had never felt her skin burn and send electric shocks through her body when they touched her. 

He terrified her. She was unable to push him away because she relied on his presence so much right now. At the same time that Thorin was the only thing helping her to feel safe and sane, her growing feelings for him was also what scared her the most. It scared her to think about what would happen if he decided that he no longer wanted to spend their evenings together now that she was done telling him her story. 

However, Thorin did not push her away when she offered him some comfort as Balin narrated the Battle of Azanulbizar. Once again, he welcomed her hugs and embraces, though this time instead of being comforted, she was the one smoothing him for a change. They sat together, her head on his shoulders, fiddling with Finnick’s old rope while the dwarrow king observed her and smoked his pipe. After a while, Thorin started teaching her some different knots, as well as trying to learn some of the ones he saw her doing. 

“I’m sorry about your father and grandfather, Thorin. It must have been an awful thing to watch,” she allowed herself to say after considering if she should say anything for a long time. 

He nodded. 

“Witnessing my younger brother’s death was the worst part of that war for me,” he confessed and Katniss could feel that hitting home, as the image of witnessing Prim dying in front of her eyes came to her mind. No. She would rather die. That is exactly why she had volunteered. 

“Would you like to talk about your brother?” she asked unsure if he would want to do that or not. 

“Frerin. He was so young when he fell, only forty-eight years old. He had a heart of gold. I have always been more reserved, the quiet one, but Frerin... he was the soul of every party. I see a lot of him in my nephews,” he took a break as he sipped from his private whisky pouch leather bag. “He wanted to forge a sword to a Dam he wished to officially court after the war. Despite them being considered too young for courting in our race, their love was already very strong. Having to inform Frerin’s One about his demise was one of the hardest things I had ever done.” 

She gave a gentle squeeze on his hand before she removed the golden locket that was hidden around her neck and showed it to him. 

“What is this? A courting gift?” he asked as he ran his fingers through the Mockingjay symbol - her symbol. Katniss felt her face burn in embarrassment. 

“Not exactly. More like a farewell gift as well as a weapon that Peeta used to disarm me during our second Hunger Games.” 

Thorin was puzzled by her gesture and she felt the need to explain it. 

“I told you that I had no intentions of leaving the arena alive, didn’t I? Well, neither did him. We both were determined to make the other one be the winner. So Peeta gave me this inside the arena to make me see why I should be the one to live…” and with that, she opened the locket revealing three pictures inside it. 

Thorin would never admit it, but he was in awe with the fine details present on the small three portraits inside her locket. They were so perfect that it did look as if they were done by magic. 

“That is my mother, and this is my sister Prim. She is the sweetest little thing you're going to lay eyes on tonight. Did I tell you that I took her with me on a hunt once and she wanted to heal the game!?” 

Thorin chuckled after hearing that. 

“Your sister sounds too innocent for this world, Katniss. What about the lad? You did not mention having a brother. Or is that Peeta?” he asked as he tried to ignore the pang of jealousy that came along with it. 

“Gale,” she simply answered making Thorin raise his eyebrow in surprise. “Peeta’s way to let me know that he gave me his blessing to go on another relationship.” 

That made Thorin feel stunned and even more jealous. 

“Did you and Gale…?” 

“No. Well, yes, you know that we’d kissed, but nothing came out from it. I never had a chance to truly choose between the two of them. Not that Peeta would want me now, anyway.” 

Thorin nodded as he felt his blood boil with jealousy. Yes, she had told him how the Capitol had used their knowledge to change the boy’s mind. Hijacked, she had said. Bewitched, was what he believed to be more likely. 

Katniss Everdeen was an alluring woman, and it was no surprise to him that she had already had two suitors despite her young age. Three, if he counted himself as well. Everything about her was intoxicating. He wished he could claim her right now. Place his bead on her hair and mark her his for once and for all. If only she would give him consent that was what she wanted him to do... 

“It is getting late…” she said as she stood up, almost fearing what could happen if she allowed herself to stay there much longer. 

“Katniss…” Thorin whispered her name, making her shiver. He stood up as well, and he had almost summoned up the courage to ask her something when she gave him a gentle squeeze on his arms and whispered. 

“Good night, Thorin,” she was about to turn her back to him, but he grasped her hand and placed a gentle kiss on its back before he allowed her to leave. 

“Good night, Miss Everdeen,” he said with a flirtatious glint on his eyes that made her blush furiously as she hastily went back to her sleeping mat. 

Even though she hoped that nobody would notice how flushed she was with that simple gesture, Fíli, Kíli and even Balin were smirking and throwing her some knowing glances as she quickly tucked herself under her cloak without saying a single word. 

  
  
  


\---------------- 

  
  


The rain started just the day after that, and it darkened the company’s mood. Katniss was glad to find out that Cinna’s Mockingjay costume was fully waterproof. However, as she now had to use her cloak during the day to cover her face from the storm, it meant that during the evenings she couldn’t any longer use that to cover herself. Not that it would have been much help anyway, as the majority of their belongings, even their food, had gotten soaking wet because of the unremitting rain. 

During the first raining night, Thorin went over to where the place she had claimed as her own and offered to help her to stay warm that night. It took all her willpower to politely refuse his offer, but she did it nonetheless and Thorin did not push on the subject. Though she did notice that both his nephews started being a more present force in her life since that happened. If they were doing that on their own volition or were merely following Thorin's orders, it was unclear to her. 

Unable to light a fire and keep it going most of the days during that foul weather week, the company ended up having to eat some of their provisions that did not require to be cooked. That included some fruit, vegetables and nuts that they found on the way. After she saw Kíli passing over the jerky beef he had got from her at the beginning of their journey, she decided to do the same thing with her share the following day. 

All the dwarrow men gave Katniss a funny look when they saw her eating some raw dandelions. They were growing in abundance near the cave where they were staying on that rare evening where they managed to light a fire. She offered some to the dwarrow men who were sitting nearby her, but they vehemently refused her offer, making her shrug and carry on chewing on her yellow flowers. 

“You should offer them to Uncle, though…” Fíli suggested making her blush. The last time she allowed herself to be near Thorin was still vivid in her mind, “he misses your company, you know…” 

“I agree,” Kíli said with a grin. “You should do that and seize the opportunity and ask Uncle to help you to fix your hair. You are looking like a wet kitten.” 

Katniss was blushing fiercely when she sneaked a peak to the front of the cave, where Thorin was sitting. His eyes twinkled in a hungry way when they met hers and he gave her an inviting smile, which in her opinion was an indication that he had heard exactly what his nephews had said to her. That only made her blush even harder. That moment she knew, that if it was her on the cave entrance, she would have run away without thinking twice. 

“Is this your way to tell me that Thorin is a hairstylist in his free time?” Katniss asked them as she tried to ignore her own flushed state while she loosened what was left of her braid. 

The entire company chuckled after hearing her comment. The cave was tall, but it wasn’t very large after all. 

“I don’t have the habit of going around braiding the hair of young maidens if that is what you are inferring, Miss Everdeen,” Thorin said seriously. “Though it would give me great pleasure and I would be extremely honoured, if one day you decide to allow me to do your hair, Katniss.” 

There was a dead silence where the entire company held their breaths. Thorin had basically not only done a love confession, but also stated that he had every single intention to court her seriously if that was her wish. Obviously all that meaning was lost on Katniss. Though she could sense a change in the atmosphere of the company, with many dwarrow, specially Fíli and Kíli throwing her some pleading looks. 

“Sure. Why not?” she said, making the stereo silence to be replaced by frenetic Iglishmêk conversations between all the dwarrow men. 

She grabbed her own comb from her shoulder bag before she stood up and made her way to the cave’s entrance where Thorin was eagerly waiting for her. She sat down in front of where he was, her back turned to him. She turned her head around to face him. 

“You are not going to make me look like a stupid poodle, are you?” 

“I don’t know what a poodle is, but I was planning on doing a traditional dwarrow braid that my mother used to wear. Unless you prefer me to do it in your usual style?” Thorin asked her with much more confidence than he was actually feeling. 

He had obviously braided both his mother’s and his sister’s hair many times throughout his life. But he had never done it for a lass that he wanted to court before. 

“Whatever you do, remember I am an archer, so nothing very high. The last thing we need is for my arrows to get stuck on my hair, right?” 

He nodded and took her comb from her hands. She turned her back to him again, and that was when she noticed that the entire company had decided to squeeze themselves inside the cave as if they wanted to give them a false illusion of privacy. Somehow Katniss thought that she actually preferred the Capitol’s cameras. At least cameras did not stare back with Kíli’s goofy smile. 

Katniss had just decided that it was probably best to focus her attention on the rain falling outside when she felt Thorin’s muscly legs hugging her hips from behind. She was caught so off guard by that, she could not help but let a moan of pleasure escape her lips as she felt Thorin’s pelvis touch her back. Their trousers and garments being the only thing that was separating their skin now, though she could still feel him, slowly getting harder from behind her, which only aroused her even more. 

It was only then that she realised how intimate this whole hair braiding affair was going to be like, and she saw herself wishing that she had declined his offer. When she said yes, she had imagined Thorin jokingly pretending to be something like Flavius or even Cinna. But what was happening was nothing like that, though she knew that it was probably too late for her to back down now. 

Besides, Thorin was already running his large and skilful fingers through her scalp, as he applied some product on her hair and that felt beyond nice. So nice that she let another moan of pleasure escape from her lips for the second time that evening. Hearing the noises she made was what was needed for the bulge inside Thorin’s trousers to grow even harder. That was how Katniss saw herself having to bring her hands to her mouth to stop another moan from occurring. This made Thorin stop whatever he was doing and whisper inside her ears making her shiver. 

“Do not hold back, Amrâlimê. I want to hear you sing.” 

“You know exactly what you are doing!” she turned her head to face him feeling affronted. 

“Quiet!” he commanded as he forced her to turn back with a single movement from his experienced hands. 

Katniss was about to turn back to protest when he started to massage her shoulders and hum a song on her ear, which made her decide not to resist and even allowed another sigh of delight to leave her lips. She had exchanged kisses with Peeta and Gale many times, but what she was sharing with Thorin was by far the most erotic thing she had ever done in her life. 

Soon enough, Thorin’s clever fingers started to slowly work on her braid. Katniss saw herself in such a state, triggered by all the sensuality of that dwarrow tradition, that she no longer seemed to care about the company’s audience. She even found herself rubbing her back on his body on purpose, as if they were in the middle of a mating dance, and she no longer tried to restrain her moans. She even saw herself enjoying hearing some few grunts of pleasure escaping Thorin’s mouth when she instinctively started doing some circular movements with her hips against his crotch. 

Once he finished styling her hair, he gave her a gentle kiss on the nape of her head, before he turned her over so she could face him. She immediately felt her face burn again, as the realisation of what they had just done suddenly hit her. He gave her an encouraging smile, as she tried to avoid looking at him in the eyes. 

“You are gorgeous, Amrâlimê. I hope you will give me a chance to do that and many other things with you again.” 

"Thorin… I…” she could almost feel a magnetic force pulling her to his arms. Oh, how she wanted to bury herself inside his arms and kiss him like it would be no tomorrow! But her mind was quickly drifting away from the moment they had shared and going over to Peeta, Gale, Prim. 

"Shhh… do not hold back from me, Mizim," he said as he positioned her lips in front of his and patiently waited for her initiative. 

"Thorin… I… I am not sure if I can…" she whispered just loud enough for him to hear it. 

Thorin sighed, but he nodded in agreement. He placed a gentle fraternal kiss on her forehead instead and brought her over to an embrace which she gladly accepted. 

"We will do this your way and at your pace. There is no need to rush, Amrâlimê." 

She clung on his hug and laid her head on his bulky chest. 

"Please wake me up when dinner is ready?" She asked before she allowed herself to close her eyes. 

Slowly the company started to come out from the corner where they had been trying to make themselves as invisible as possible to give their King and his One some privacy. Thorin had to admit that they had done a great job on that, as he saw himself forgetting about their presence a couple of times. 

Hair braiding was usually an activity shared privately by couples that were already officially courting for some time and it was considered a way for them to start getting comfortable with each other before the exchange of their marriage vows. The fact that Katniss was yet to give him permission to officially pursue her, but had already allowed him to brush and braid her hair was bound to be considered a tad scandalous by his kin. 

Even though they were still avoiding making any noise, the company was going wild on their silent Iglishmêk conversations. Thorin was suddenly glad that Katniss was unable to witness or understand Dori gesturing how backwards and improper it was that Katniss would allow Thorin to do her hair, but would deny him a kiss. Or how Nori asked Kili to pay up the four silvers he owned him for betting that Thorin would make Katniss his Queen that very night. Thorin grunted and decided to focus his attention on the rain outside instead. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, but I felt like I had to change to Mature after this chapter. I hope that is ok? Anyway, leave a review, please?


	11. Chapter 11: Trolls, wargs and orcs

When Katniss woke up the day after Thorin braided her hair, the company was already outside the cave finishing the preparations for their departure. Only her and Balin seemed to be inside it. After many consecutive raining days, they finally had woken up to a clear blue sky. 

Balin gave her a warm grandfather smile, but she avoided looking him in the eyes as she felt extremely self-conscious about what had happened between her and Thorin in front of everybody the previous night. She had been glad that Thorin had waited until everybody was sleeping before he had decided to wake her up for supper last night. Now, she really wanted to bury herself under the ground and never have to face anyone from the company again.

“Good morning, Lassie” Balin said despite her clear embarrassment “I noticed you did not have nightmares today.”

“Balin,” Katniss acknowledged him with a short nod. She did not feel like doing small talk with the old dwarf or with anybody else for the matter. So she quickly started to gather her things to leave the cave when Balin offered her a bowl with some roasted meat that he had been holding. Katniss silently accepted it as she wondered if the white haired-dwarf had stayed there just to guard her sleep.

“It is deer venison. Thorin caught it this morning. He asked me to save some of the inner loin and backstraps for you.”

Katniss looked back to the bowl showing a bit more appreciation this time.

“I have killed a good handful of deers and stags before, but I never have eaten their meat”

“Oh,” Balin seemed a bit thrown back by that revelation. “Why not Lassie?”

“People do pay a good price for it.” she simply stated as she ate her first bite of the juicy meat.

“You seem to have endured quite a hardship for someone so young,”

Katniss shrugged. 

“I guess you can say that.” she said vaguely, not really looking at him.

“I think I can see why he can relate to you so much,” Balin said, finally caughting her attention and making her flush. 

Willing to leave what felt like an uncomfortable conversation for her part, Katniss decided to leave the cave and Balin altogether. Only to feel even more embarrassed by finding the rest of the company waiting a few meters away, with everything already packed. Katniss felt very self-conscious when everyone went quiet as she appeared, every dwarf coming out of their way to form a clear path between Thorin and her. The dwarrow king gave her an intense look and a small grin. Katniss felt her face burn as she decided to avoid looking him in the eyes. Thorin's smile seemed to grow even bigger after witnessing her going all flushed after looking him in the eyes. However, the last thing she wanted to do was to get near him, and feel that irresistible pull she felt every time they were together. So she quickly nodded and went to find her horse so they all would be able to leave as soon as possible. 

Thorin was amazed by her uneasiness. If anything, he felt like it was further proof that she might also nurture feelings for him. Despite that, he felt that it would probably be wise to leave her be for the moment. Or at least, until she could feel comfortable around him again. 

But Katniss seemed determined to avoid not only him, but the whole company as much as possible. While they were riding their ponies, she decided to stay at the back of the pack, where not many members of the company would be able to see her. However, unfortunately for her, Kili and Fili decided to follow her there, and they were both determined to remind her that they all had witnessed the moment she had shared with Thorin the previous night.

“What a nice dwarrow hair-style, my Lady,” Fili said with a wink, making her blush.

“It does suit you, Auntie!” Kili complemented. It took Katniss half a second for her to realise why Kili was suddenly calling her Auntie.

“There is absolutely nothing -  _ nothing _ \- going on between your Uncle and me!” 

Katniss angrily hissed.

Both brothers bursted in a loud laughter calling the attention of the rest of the company for Katniss' dismay.

“Oh right! Did you hear that, Fee? Auntie Kat said that there is nothing going on between Uncle and her…”

Katniss felt her face burn again, as she witnessed many members of the company trying to suppress their own laughter, while others did not even bother to hide it. 

She gave Kili a murderous glare. She wanted nothing more than to leave them and seek Thorin’s companionship, but she knew that it would only feed the brothers’ taunts towards her. Therefore, she ended up deciding to leave them regardless but remained in the middle of the group where Balin was having a friendly conversation with Bilbo. 

\---------------------------------

They barely stopped that day, it was the way to catch up their late morning start. However, there was still some light in the sky when Thorin decided that they should make camp in the ruins of an abandoned farmhouse. Sooner than later, every company member was busy with a different task, hers being to train sword fighting alongside Bilbo and under Dwalin’s strict supervision. Thorin did not approach them this time, but more than once he threw some intense glares at her, making Katniss blush, lose her focus and Dwalin roll his eyes. 

Despite that, Katniss was making quite a quick progress, and Dwalin had told her that she was ready to start training with a real sword during their next session. They only stopped training once supper was ready. 

As always, she had been the first person to be given food. Balin had previously explained to her that it was their custom to always feed children and women first when they were in the wild and there was not much certainly of when or where their next meal was supposed to be. While they quickly ate their rations, Bilbo shared with Katniss his concern about Gandalf’s disappearance from the rest of their group. 

“I’m sure he will be back soon enough Bilbo. He seems to know these lands better than anyone else here. Maybe he just wanted to scout a bit ahead?”

Although not entirely convinced, Bilbo seemed a bit more assured after that. As they were the first to finish, Bofur asked if they could give two bowls for Thorin's nephews. Begrudgingly, Katniss took hold of one of the bowls, followed by Bilbo who did the same thing. She was feeling too tired, and definitely not in the mood to be teased by the troublesome due. 

However, when they approached the area where the princes were looking after the ponies, Fili and Kili looked concerned. Katniss frowned as she wondered what could be the reason behind that, however, it was Bilbo who asked the question.

“What is the matter?”

“We’re supposed to be looking out for the ponies.” Kili said.

“Only we’ve encountered a slight problem.” said Fili. 

“We had sixteen.” Kili added.

“Now there’s fourteen.” Fili concluded.

Immediately after hearing that, Katniss placed the stew she was carrying on a tree truck and removed one of her arrows from her quiver and loaded her bow. She quickly started looking around, as if she was expecting to find whoever had stolen the ponies behind a tree, ready to attack them. Her cautious attitude made both brothers also decide to arm themselves and be more wary of their surroundings as well.

“Shouldn’t we tell Thorin?” Bilbo asked, looking concerned.

“Uhh, no. Let’s not worry him. As our official burglar, we thought you might like to look into it.” Fili requested.

Katniss frowned at that, but she did not say anything. They all carried on exploring the clearance until Bilbo spotted something.

“Something big uprooted these trees.” Bilbo stated pointing at the recently broken tree branches. “Something very big, and possibly quite dangerous.”

“Look! I think I can see a fire,” Katniss said as she squinted her eyes and pointed ahead to the shadows of an enormous creature who seemed to be sitting down next to the fire.

“What is it?” Bilbo asked.

“Trolls.” Kili answered and then started moving ahead, followed closely by his brother to get a better view of the monstrous creatures. Katniss went running just behind him, and Bilbo ended up following her as well. They all crouched down behind a tree just in time to hide from a troll who was carrying two ponies, one under each side of his arms.

“He’s got Myrtle and Minty! I think they’re going to eat them, we have to do something.” Bilbo pleaded.

“Yes; you should. Mountain trolls are slow and stupid, and you’re so small.” Kili said to Bilbo.

“No, no, no...” Bilbo strongly objected.

“They’ll never see you.” Kili insisted.

“I forbid you to send him there!” Katniss growled at Kili.

“But Auntie, it’s perfectly safe! We’ll be right behind him!” Kili argued.

“Absolutely not!” she told Kili with fire in her eyes before she turned her head to face the hobbit “Bilbo, you are going straight back to the camp and alert the others…” Katniss commanded.

“But Uncle is going to kill us if he learns that we lost four ponies!” Kili pressed.

“Come on, help us out. If you run into trouble, hoot twice like a barn owl, once like a brown owl.” Fili said as he and Kili tried to push Bilbo to the troll’s direction, but Katniss stopped them just in time.

“Go. Back. Now!” she said with all the authority she could muster. For her surprise, Bilbo did just as she said.

“Katniss! How are we supposed to retrieve the ponies now?” Fili asked.

“He is our burglar. Only him can be small and quiet enough to sneak past these beasts!” Kili agreed with his brother.

“And how noble of you! Leaving the weaker man to risk his neck to clean up the mess that you made!” Katniss’ harsh words hit both brothers straight on their guts, and they suddenly felt embarrassed. She pointed her arrow to the trolls, who were still oblivious about their presence and slowly started to make her way towards them.

“Katniss, come back here!” Fili whispered with despair as he followed her close “We cannot let you get near these foul creatures.” 

“Uncle will be sure to kill us if anything happens to you!” Kili muttered behind them.

“And here I thought you said that this was perfectly safe,” Katniss growled in frustration. 

“You cannot kill trolls with a regular arrow. Their skin is too hard for that. It is like dragon skin…” Fili said in a matter of fact.

“Lucky that I have got some special arrows then,” she said as she whispered  _ ‘good morning _ ’ to her bow which started humming to let her know it was turned on. 

As they approached the trolls, they started hearing their sinister conversation.

“Mutton yesterday, mutton today, and blimey, if it don’t look like mutton again tomorrow.”

“Quit yer’ griping. These ain’t sheep. These is West Nags!”

“Oh, I don’t like `orse. I never `ave. Not enough fat on them.”

“Well, it’s better than the leathery old farmer. All skin and bone, he was. I’m still picking bits of him out of me teeth.”

“Wha’ is tha’ noise?” said one of the trolls turned his head towards the place they were hiding. 

Even though the trio was trying their best to be quiet, they are not as light on their feet as Bilbo would have been. As the troll in the middle started to make his way to investigate them, Katniss wasted no time and shot him straight in the eye, making him fall dead instantly. Realising that they were under attack, the remaining two trolls also got on their feet and started to ready themselves for battle. But before they had a chance to walk more than two meters, Katniss released another arrow on the second troll’s eye, making the only remaining troll much more scared of his own fate.

Busted with confidence, Katniss placed a third arrow in her bow, stood up and came out of her hiding spot despite Kili and Fili attempts to hold her back. The remaining troll noticed her appearance and denounced her immediately. 

“A woman? Ur ye tellin' me tha’ th' murder of mah brothers is a mortal gal?” the troll looked beyond furious.

“Release our ponies and I might allow you to live,” she demanded with fire in her eyes.

The troll growled in response and started to run towards her. Katniss then released her arrow, but this time the troll seemed to be expecting her move and was able to block it out with his arm. However, despite what Fili had said, her arrow seemed to be strong enough to get through his skin, and the troll let a groan of pain escape his mouth. She took advantage of his distraction and quickly loaded her bow again, this time she decided to go for the arrows on her left, which she knew were the explosive ones. 

Katniss was feeling a bit reluctant about using the explosive arrows, as she knew well enough what an explosion could cause. After all, she had lost the hearing on her left ear that exact way during her first hunger games. However, with the gigantic troll approaching them, she did not think that she had much of a choice, so she adjusted her bow to reduce the explosion impact for the bare minimum.

Hoping that they were still far away enough to suffer any permanent damage, she released what she knew would be a fatal blow at the direction of the enormous troll. Before the arrow hit its target she had already turned her back to it, found shelter behind the tree where she knew Kili and Fili were still hiding and left her body fall on top of both brothers knocking them down on the floor as she did her best to cover both of her ears. 

The explosion came just as her knees hit the ground and she closed her eyes. A deafening noise, accompanied by tremor, some light and a heatwave. Even though she could not see it, she heard some debris flying in all directions. 

“What was that?” she heard Kili saying just next to her. She noticed that the younger dwarf prince was already trying to get back on his feet.

“I told you I had some special arrows, did I not?” Katniss smirked as she accepted Fili’s hand in order to aid her back up. 

“This was quite something!” Fili gasped as he took in the wreckage caused by her explosion. Ashes and burned debris all over the clearance. It appeared that one of the ponies also ended up dying during the explosion alongside the troll.

“I’m pretty sure you could even kill Smaug with these arrows of yours!” Fili told her as he left their hiding spot to better examine the rubble.

The rest of the company arrived just after that. Thorin was leading the group, his sword on his hand, ready to attack if necessary. The dwarf king gave a sigh of relief when he noticed that both his nephews and his One were alive and in good health. Bilbo also came back just behind all the other dwarves. 

Thorin was quick to take in all the destruction caused by the explosion and the dead body of a troll with one of Katniss’ arrows still stuck in its eyes. He then looked from his nephews to Katniss.

“What happened here?”

When Fili started narrating how the three of them decided to send Bilbo back and valiantly fought the three trolls together, Katniss snorted and rolled her eyes. However, instead of correcting him, she started cleaning the arrow that she managed to extract from the eye of the troll that she killed first.

“You put yourself in danger! You should have waited for me!” Thorin growled at Katniss and his nephews who seemed a bit taken back by this criticism. Katniss on the other hand just crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.

“There was no time. They heard us.” she argued.

“You could have died!”

“And maybe I would be dead if I hadn't shot them first!”

Thorin looked deep in her eyes. His irritation was misplaced, as his rage was more about not being able to protect her than towards her actions. When Thorin asked about the explosion that he and his men also had heard and saw glimpses from afar, Fili had no choice but point out to Katniss and her unusual bow and set of arrows as the source behind it. 

“Is that true?” Thorin asked, looking straight at her.

“Which part?” she asked as she finished cleaning her arrow and now was putting it back on her quiver.

“About your bow,” Thorin asked.

“What about it?” 

“Fili told me it is magic,”

“I’m afraid not, though as it was made by Betee it has quite a bit of high technology.” Katniss said, but as the company remained confused she felt the need to better explain it to them “my yellow arrows are incendiary. They are the ones I should use if my intention is to shoot fire. The red ones are called explosive, and it is the one I used here, though I adjusted its impact for minimal damage.” 

The company looked at her and her bow in complete awe.

“Why have you never told me about the properties of your bow before? We might have a chance to kill the dragon if the beast is still alive with your weapon!”

“I thought it was obvious. How else do you think I was able to put down an aeroplane with an arrow, Thorin?”

“You forget that I don’t know much about aeroplanes, Amrâlimê,” he said with a smile making her blush again. Katniss did not know why, and she had no idea of what that word he often used with her meant, but hearing him calling her that in public seemed to make her all flushed. She made a mental note to ask someone about the meaning behind that particular word at some point. Thorin on the other hand, adored seeing the way she avoided looking him in the eyes and how cute her rosy cheeks looked when she was feeling embarrassed.

Gandalf arrived rapidly galloping back on his horse. The wizard told them that he had immediately started to make his way back to the company as soon he heard the explosion a couple of miles away from them. So he rushed back as he hoped for the best but feared for the worst.

“Well done for getting rid of the trolls, Katniss. This was a great achievement and good riddance, but unfortunately, you revealed our position. It is unlikely to be safe to camp near here for the rest of the night,” Gandalf declared, making Thorin agree with him begrudgingly. 

“The trolls mentioned killing a farmer not long ago. Do you reckon they could have any more prisoners hidden somewhere?” Katniss asked.

“They could not have moved in daylight,” Gandalf stated.

“There must be a cave nearby.” the dwarrow king concluded.

\----------------------------

Katniss had never watched the company breaking camp and packing up so quickly. They all moved around at the campsite with the same sturdy grace of a colony of ants. In less than ten minutes they were already on their ponies trying to locate the troll hoard. As it had already gone darker and she did not have perfect night-vision like the rest of the dwarrow men, Katniss decided to wear her dark-glasses so she could better see her surroundings and guide her pony.

When they found the troll hoard, Katniss decided to stay with the group who waited outside the cave, as it smells were the worst thing that she could remember smelling in her entire life. Therefore, she remained seated on her pony, her bow loaded and pointed straight to the floor, as she watched out for any sign of threat as they waited. Dwalin gave her a nod of approval as he positioned himself just next to her. Katniss couldn’t help but think that Thorin probably ordered his best warrior to look after her while he explored the insides of the cave with the others, and she could not help the frown that came to her eyes when she reached that conclusion.

A few minutes had passed since Thorin and some others went inside the hoard, and Katniss was playing with the settings of her special night-vision glasses when the infra-red vision showed four enormous wolf-like creatures sniffing at the trolls campsite.

“Dwalin…” she whispered to the dwarf who was next to her as she pointed to the wargs who were a good three hundred meters away from them.

Dwalin noticed the wargs and realised the danger it represented straight away. He quickly signed for the others to be quiet and sent Fili inside the cave to retrieve Thorin and the others.

Almost immediately, Kili appeared by her side, his arrow also ready to be released. Kili then quickly signed in Iglishmêk for her to take the ones on her right, making a couple of eyebrows to be raised and a few frowns to be shared among the dwarrow men who witnessed Katniss nodding to confirm that she understood his Iglishmêk gestures.

Katniss heard the noises that Thorin and the others made as they came back from the hoard and were getting back up on their ponies. However, she did not dare to turn her head over to see them and leave her attention and arrow away from her prey. She just knew that she and Kili were supposed to be waiting for Dwalin’s or Thorin’s command to kill the beasts, and for once in her life, the thought of disobeying and doing these things on her own accord did not even crossed her mind.

After a period when the wargs seemed to be confused at the trolls campsite, they seemed to finally have picked up their scent and began to make their way to the place where the company was. Only then Thorin whispered for them to shoot, and so they did, killing two from the four wolves at the same time. Kili and Katniss quickly reloaded their bows, killing the two remaining wargs.

“Warg-Scouts! Which means an Orc pack is not far behind.” Thorin said as he adjusted his new sword on his belt.

“Orc pack?” Bilbo fretted looking particularly terrified.

“You are being hunted.” Gandalf declared, his eyes travelled from Katniss to Thorin.

“We have to get out of here,” Dwalin said, glancing at Thorin as if waiting for quick instructions.

“Follow me!” urged Gandalf as he started galloping his horse away from the troll hoard. 

Thorin signed for his men and did as the wizard had asked. It took no time for the others to follow suit. 

Even though Katniss’ horse-riding skills had improved during their journey, she was yet to do it in such a rushed way. Due to that, she ended up staying at the back of the pack, and not because she was simply trying to avoid Thorin this time. Dwalin stayed behind with her, urging Katniss to keep a correct body posture. Unfortunately, it did not take long for them to notice a few Orcs mounting wargs trying to catch them up.

“Can ye try shootin’ an arrow at them, Lass?” Dwalin asked. Katniss could feel some of the orc’s arrows zooming past them.

“I can try…” she said, feeling unsure, but willing to have a go nonetheless.

They had already left the forest’s ravine and were at the top of a plain’s hill that did not provide them with much shelter from an attack. It was then that she loaded her bow with another explosive arrow, as she thought they should be able to make some damage to their enemies, even if she completely missed her target - which she honestly thought was very likely. Especially considering she had never done horse riding and shot a target at the same time.

She aimed to the head of a warg, but ended up hitting the chest of the orc who was riding it. Nonetheless, the explosion was big enough to take that warg down and also three other pairs of wargs ridden by orcs that were nearby the one she had hit.

“Grea’ job, Lassie!” Dwalin said, giving her thumbs up.

She decided to load an incendiary arrow this time, but then she heard a horn that announced about two dozen enormous horses ridden by tall men who were galloping towards them. They were also shooting some arrows, but they were aiming for the orcs and the wargs, not to the company. 

“Elves,” she heard Dwalin muttering begrudgingly. “Stay near me, Lassie”

The surge of that unexpected aid made the dwarrow men turn around and fight the orcs instead of running away from them. 

Katniss then witnessed Thorin tearing wargs and orcs with his new sword as if they were made of paper. The other dwarves were also railing alongside him. Gandalf was also fighting with his new sword in a way you would never expect a man that looked that old to fight. He used his staff and sword simultaneously with such a mastery she would never have guessed that the wizard possessed. 

Fili and Kili had joined Dwalin on his clear objective of keeping her safe. They circled her and were attacking any foul thing that dared to get near them. Even though she was annoyed with their attitude, that did not stop her from shooting some of her own arrows towards the Orc pack. She would not dare to use her explosive ones with so many dwarrow and their elven allies mixtured among the Orcs at the battlefield. However, she decided that was probably a good opportunity to try her incendiary arrows during a battle, as if anything, she thought that a bit of light would only help them out.

It turned out that the Orcs started feeling scared and started running away from them as they witnessed Katniss setting some of them on fire. The elves also looked at her in a mixture of wariness awe as they saw what her bow was capable of doing.

It did not take long for all the Orcs and Wargs to be either dead or running away from them. A few elves decided to follow the ones who were running to hunt them down. The ones who remained started circling them. It was a strange picture, ponies in the middle mounted by dwarves surrounded by enormous horses mounted by elves. Gandalf stayed at the edge of the circle - not really with the dwarves, but not with the elves either.

“What a peculiar company you are keeping, Mithrandir” said one of the dark-haired elves wearing a silvery-grey cloak.

“What brings you to our borders, mellonnen?” another elve that looked exactly the same as the first one asked.

“Elladan, Elrohir” Gandalf said with a small head nod to both twins “we wish to seek council from your father,”

“Talk for yourself, Tharkûn!” Thorin hissed determined not to go anywhere near Rivendell. 

“Why did Aulë have to make you lot stubborn as a rock?” Gandalf sighed.

However, Thorin’s words had already made all the elves look at him and acknowledge his presence.

“You must be Thorin, son of Thrain.”

“I do not believe we have met.”

“You are wrong. we have met, but you would not remember it because you were just a baby. You look exactly like Thror,”

“We visited Erebor with our father when your Grandfather was the king under the mountain.”

“We welcome you and your companions to rest at the Last Homely House East of the Sea” one of the twins invited.

Thorin groaned but did not say anything good or offensive. Instead, it was Gandalf who answered that they were all very grateful for their hospitality. That made Katniss suffocate a small laugh and whisper to herself.

“And here I thought that I had trouble making friends…”

Some dwarrow men seemed to hear her and suffocated a laugh. Katniss also could swear that one of the elves that had not spoken had given her a wink after hearing her comment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we finally have arrived at Rivendell! There are so many things that I would like to cover here that I will probably have to remove a few from my list.
> 
> And as always, thank you so much for every kudos, every comment, every bookmark. It always makes my day to learn that I was able to provide joy to someone with my story when I am at work or not having a particular good day at home. 
> 
> Please let me know if you liked, if you disliked, if you have any ideas or suggestions, or if you just want someone to vent about your boss, feel free to give me a shout.
> 
> ps - Any thoughts about the changes in the troll/ orc battle?


	12. Chapter 12: Rivendell part 1

Katniss was not sure what to think of the elves. If she had previously mistaken dwarves for humans, there was no way she would have been able to make the same mistake with elves. There was just not enough makeup or surgical procedures available in the entire Panem that could make any human look like that. Elves were far too ethereal and sublime for her to believe them to be real people. From the graceful way they moved to every single hair on their scalp, there was a celestial airy about them that made her feel at the same time in astonish awe and creepily scared by their unworldly features. 

It was awfully dark when they crossed the Bruinen river, and Katniss as well the others were unable to fully appreciate the beauty of the hidden valley. As soon as they arrived at the doorstep of Elrond’s household, an elleth guided her to a room that had obviously been prepared especially for her, if the dresses laid on the double bed were anything to judge by. The room assigned for her was as big and luxurious as the ones she had been given both times she was a tribute at the Hunger Games. That thought made her cringe. 

Despite that feeling, Katniss was surely not going to decline the warm bath already waiting for her. Nor would she refuse the fresh fruit, cheese and bread laying on a desk alongside some wine and water jug.

The elleth that brought her there quickly introduced herself as Miliel and informed her that she had been tasked by Lord Elrond to help her out any way she could. Katniss felt very awkward. She had been catered by avoxes at the Capitol before, and it had always left a bitter taste on her mouth. Even though Miliel did not look like she was a slave, having someone she just met offering to do her laundry felt wrong.

“Thank you for the offer, but I think I can manage washing my own clothes,”

“Are you sure Lady Katniss? It would be a pleasure to help you. I was told that you have been on the road for a while. You should enjoy the opportunity and have some rest…”

“Please, drop the Lady. And I am used to being on the road. I am not as tired as you might think.”

“Very well, in that case… I will come back here to fetch you after your breakfast with your companions and Lord Elrond is over. Ladies should do their washing before midday…”

“All right,”

“Oh, and I will need to take these back and adjust them for you,” the elleth said, picking up the dresses that were laying on the bed, leaving only one that looked more like a nightgown. “I’m sorry, but you are a bit smaller than I thought you would be…” 

“Please, don’t worry about it,” Katniss sighed in frustration as she hated when people fussing over her.

“Honestly, it is a pleasure. I’m a seamstress. Making and repairing clothes is my craft.” Miliel’s eyes shined when she told that to Katniss, who raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“In that case... if you could find me trousers and shirts instead of dresses...”

“I am sure I can work something out for you, but it will take me a little longer. Meanwhile, I shall quickly fix one of these for you to wear tomorrow.” Miliel said pointing to the dresses on her hand. “Do you have any preference?”

“I rather leave that to you…” Katniss said, giving a short glance at the bath that she could not wait to use.

“Right. I will bring it back as soon as it is ready.” Miliel informed her as she got closer to the door. “If you need anything, my room is only three doors down the right from yours. I shall leave you to it now,”

Katniss nodded in acknowledgement and whispered a thank you to Miliel as the elleth left her alone inside the unfamiliar bedroom. Katniss did not waste time to remove her Mockingjay outfit, leaving it on the floor. 

She noticed a large long mirror and decided to take a better look on her own features. If she were to ignore the dirty, sweet and grime that was covering her body, she still looked pretty much the same she had looked before that bullet hit her at District Two. Perhaps she was even looking a bit healthier now that she was no longer under the strict diet regime of District Thirteen. Her eyebrows and upper lip hair had gone all wild again, as well the rest of her body hair. Her nails were dreadful, bitten and dirty. She could almost hear Vernia and Octavia criticizing her for not looking after herself better. 

However, the hair in her head remained neatly braided by the style that Thorin had chosen to give her yesterday. She closed her eyes for a moment trying to remember the sensations that she had felt while he was braiding her hair. His hands stroking and massaging her scalp. His body was so close to hers. The feeling of his crotch touching her back, and the realisation that he was getting as excited as she was. She started to wonder what would have happened if she had kissed him, how his lips would have tasted when pressed against hers. She sighed.

And now that she could fully see and appreciate her new hairstyle, she had to admit that Thorin had done a better job than she had expected him to deliver. She carefully ran her fingers through the braids, already mourning the fact that she was going to have to undo them if she wanted to properly wash her hair that night.

As she did not know how long they would remain at Elrond’s house, she decided it was probably wise to make good use of the bath and elvish shampoo while she could. Perhaps, she thought, Thorin could do her hair again if she asked nicely.

She carefully checked the temperature of the water, and even though it was still a bit too hot for her taste, it was nothing that she could not endure. Slowly she started to make her way inside the bath, and soon she was laying down on the hot water, washing her hair, and then the rest of her body. When she was done scrubbing every single inch of her body, the water was still lukewarm, so she decided to close her eyes and relax for a bit. She did not even notice when she fell asleep inside the bathtub.

\---------------------------------

_ Katniss was inside the arena of her second hunger games, but instead of Peeta, Finnick and Mags, it was the company who was there with her. They were walking inside of the warm rainforest, trying to find the other tributes to kill. However, they were suddenly attacked by a group of Orcs who somehow were dressed up as monkeys. They all got their weapons ready and started to fight the monkey Orcs, but a thick fog that Katniss knew would be poisoning was approaching them.  _

_ Katniss saw herself considering for half a second running away without sharing that information with the company, as she did not want to be the one that would kill them later.  _

_ That second cost her attention and that led to one of the Orcs getting very near her and raised his sword to give her a mortal blow. Only that blow did not come, because Thorin pushed her out the way, receiving the hit on her place. She screamed his name not wanting to believe that he was gone. _

_ “THORIN! NO! THORIN!” she cried and screamed as she kneeled next to his motionless body. _

_ “Lass, stand up! We need to go...” she felt Balin placing a gentle hand on her shoulders.  _

_ “NO! NO! NO! THORIN! THORIN! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!” she shook his body as if trying to make him stand. But it was pointless. Thorin was dead. _

_ “Lassie, the fog… we need to run…” Balin tried to reason with her, but she was far too gone. _

_ “I AM NOT LEAVING HIM! THORIN! THORIN!” It was then that Dwalin came and started to drag her away from Thorin’s body. The dwarrow warrior tried to immobilize her and carry her on his shoulders, but she was squirming away too much for him to be able to do that on his own. _

_ “Fili, Kili, give me a hand…” Dwalin shouted to the two Princes who also started to immobilise and drag her away despite her shoutings and attempts to break free. _

_ “THORIN! LET ME GO! I AM NOT LEAVING HIM! THORIN!” _

_ “Wake up, Katniss!” she heard Thorin’s dead body to say her name, but it was not his voice which was coming from it. It was a female voice that she thought she had heard before. _

_ “Thorin?” she asked in confusion. _

“Wake up…” 

Katniss saw Miliel’s face glowing in front of her as if there were one thousand suns inside her room. It took Katniss a few seconds for her to realise that she had just woken up from another nightmare. It took her another few seconds for her to notice that she was still naked and inside a bathtub. 

Miliel’s face was full of worry as she offered her hand to help Katniss out of the bath and covered her with a towel. Katniss felt a bit dizzy as if she had stood up quicker than she should have done. Miliel guided her to her bed and Katniss did not even protest as the elleth started helping her dry her body and put her nightgown on.

“You went through a big ordeal today, my Lady. But rest assured that you are safe and among friends here at the Imladris,” Miliel tried comforting her the best way she could.

Katniss did not know what to say to that, so she just nodded in acknowledgement.

“I will go and brew you some tea…” Miliel told her as she stood up to make her way to the door.

“No. Please, don’t…” 

“It will do you good, my Lady…”

“That won’t be necessary.”

“But…” Miliel started but was sharply interrupted by Katniss.

“Honestly, I am fine. You should go back to sleep, Miliel…” Katniss requested trying to use all her willpower to look stronger than she actually felt.

“I wasn’t…” Miliel said unsure, but then she decided to point at the armchair where she had placed a single red dress. “I adjusted that one for you. I thought burgundy would go well with your olive skin…”

Katniss nodded and waited until Miliel to leave the room again. Only when the elleth was out of the room that Katniss felt safe to release her body weight and drop herself on the bed. All Katniss' thoughts were turned to Thorin. She wanted to seek the comfort of his presence more than ever. She wanted to hug him, to feel him, to be reassured that it had been just another nightmare and that he was doing all right. However, she had no idea where he was, and she did not know that place. 

Katniss was dreading the perspective of sleeping alone again, but she also knew that she was feeling way too tired to be able to avoid sleeping again that evening. With a sigh of resignation, she allowed the sleep to claim her again, her last thought being that she hoped she would not wake Miliel again when her next nightmare came back to disturb her. 

\--------

As she had predicted, a couple of hours later Katniss ended up waking up with another nightmare. On this second occasion, she had dreamt of Thorin getting shot at the Nut explosion side by side with her. Luckily she had woken up much quicker than last time and Miliel did not need to come back to calm her down.

Even though it was still dark outside, Katniss felt rested enough for not needing to get back to sleep that night. Thus, she helped herself to some of the food that had been left in her room before she decided to change to the dress that Miliel had brought for her last night. The dark red dress hugged her figure in perfect harmony. The golden locket with the hidden pictures of her family complimented her outfit. Besides, Katniss decided to retrieve her Mockingjay pin from her armour and placed it on her new dress. She then brushed and braided her hair in her usual style and finally armed herself with her bow and quiver. Only then she felt ready to adventure herself outside her room and explore Rivendell. 

Truth to be said, what she really wanted was not to wander without a destination on these foreigner elvish lands, but to find Thorin. After having dreamed twice in the same night with his demise, she felt like she needed assurance that he was all right. 

So she wore her night-vision glasses as she walked through the deserted corridors full of statues and paintings that ornated the Imladris. More than once she had a creeping feeling that she was being followed and observed, but she tried to remain calm and remember that was supposed to be a safe place. 

Soon she found her way out the building where her room was located and she noticed that the dawn was on its way and that she no longer needed to wear her night vision glasses outside. The beauty of the hidden valley struck her like lightning. Rivendell was quite a sight to behold. With its bright delicate architecture buildings, it's clear blue sky and trees of green shivering leaves, surrounded by the most alluring grand mountains that were slowly being kissed by morning light. 

Her astonishment with the sight of the valley made her lay down her guard, and an ellon with the hair as bright as the sun seized that opportunity to approach Katniss and make her acquaintance. 

“Did you wake up earlier to enjoy the sunrise, my Lady?” said the ellon. 

Katniss was startled, as she failed hearing him approaching her. After giving him a better look, she noticed that he was tall, strong and had the most delicate facial features she remembered seeing in a man. He was extremely handsome though, and somehow his appearance reminded her of Finnick. Or at least, what Finnick Odair would have looked like if he was an elf.

Katniss replied to him with a short nod. The male elf was very tall in comparison to her. She was unwilling to engage, but also unsure of how she was supposed to behave.

“Allow me to introduce myself, my Lady. I’m Glorfindel, Lord of the House of the Golden Flower,” he said and finished his introduction by giving a little bow and placing a kiss on the back of her hand. Katniss raised her eyebrow in surprise of this gesture.

“Katniss Everdeen. Not really a Lady of anything.” she gave him a short nod out of politeness. 

“Oh?” it was his turn to feel surprised “Somehow I find that quite hard to believe...”

She just shrugged her shoulders to his comment and he felt the need to explain his logic to her.

“I sense that similarly to me, you bear the blessing of the Valar. It is unclear where you hail from, or which deeds you have accomplished, but it must have been something quite impressive for you to gain their favour…”

“I only did what I needed to do in order to survive,” she answered looking away from him.

“Don’t we all, Lady Katniss?” he said looking at the river that she had decided to give her attention. “So you confess that you have done something special to win their grace after all.” 

Despite not saying a single word, her frown made him quickly add.

“Don’t you worry child, I will not pry on things that you are clearly not ready to share…”

“Good.” she simply said finally returning her gaze to his direction. “And I am no child, Mr Glorfindel.”

“Of course you are not. Forgive my indiscretion.”

She gave him a short nod before she turned back to appreciate the view of the valley. She started walking away from him, but Glorfindel seemed determined to not let her out of his sight and decided to follow her around. 

“I saw the damage your enchanted bow did on those three trolls at the Great East Road…” 

Glorfindel decided to change the subject as they walked through the white stone path that connected the houses around the valley. He hoped that by doing that she would open up about something more recent than her mysterious past.

“My bow is not enchanted. It was made and programmed by a friend of mine called Beete.”

“That is an uncommon name. What race is from, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Human, I believe…”

Glorfindel raised an eyebrow to that but did not make any comment.

“And what do you mean by programmed?”

“Well, he used technology, of course. Beete is a genius. I’m very glad that I chose him to be my ally.” 

“I have yet to see technology like this, my Lady. Would you allow me to have a look at your bow?”

She examined him from head to toe as if evaluating whether or not she could trust him. It took her a good few seconds for Katniss to make her mind, but in the end, she ended up nodding her head in agreement and she passed her bow and quiver over for him to have a better look. She then started going over the different functions of the arrows, the voice control function, the range and the different ways she could optimise her aim and the lethality of her strike.

“Where in Arda can you get a bow like this, my Lady?” Glorfindel’s mind was completely blown away by the quality and technology used in the making of her weaponry.

“About that... according to Gandalf, I am from the future. He said that I am likely to be three or four Ages from your current timeline,”

“Well,  _ that _ can explain quite a few things! ”

Glorfindel looked like a child when he asked her if he could try her bow on. His excitement was such that she did not have the heart to deny him that small pleasure. The ellon war hero did not waste time and like a killing machine that he was, he fired arrow after arrow on a flock of birds that happened to be flying above them. He did not aim for all the birds, but he killed every single one he shot.

“Good shooting!” she praised him as they retrieved and cleaned all her normal arrows.

“You are not the only one with good aim, Lady Katniss,” he smirked at her, to which she returned the smile and nodded in approval.

“It is a shame that I lost some of my arrows yesterday during the confrontation with the trolls and the Orcs…”

“Can’t you make new ones?”

“I can make some wooden arrows, but I am not sure how well they will work on my bow.”

“Why don’t you make metal ones? It will surely work better!”

“I don’t know how to do it…”

“No need to worry, my Lady, I will make you some new arrows.” he gave her a jovial smile. 

“Thank you!” she said, finally looking relaxed around him. “Although… I believe that it will be impossible to replicate the special arrows with the current technology available…”

“Then you should save them for the moments of utmost need,”

She gave a short nod to show her agreement.

“Glorfindel…? Do you know where my companions are? Last night we were separated so quickly that I didn't even get to wave them goodnight…”

“Oh yes my Lady. I’ve heard they did make quite a scene after you left.” Glorfindel tried to hide his amusement.

“They were not the only ones who were upset with that. I missed their company,” she said with a frown.

“My apologies, my Lady. You should have said something. I am sure that Miliel could have spared a few minutes for you to say goodnight…”

“I was too tired to think properly,” she said defensively “do you know where I can find them now?”

“Of course! They must be arriving for breakfast at the main dining hall of Elrond’s house. Your presence is expected. It will be a pleasure escort you there, my Lady,” he said, offering an arm for her to hold. 

  
  


\-------------------------

  
  


Thorin Oakenshield was not a happy dwarf. As if it was not enough to be coerced by Gandalf to seek refuge on that cursed valley when they arrived the elves basically kidnapped his One by taking her away from his company's sight without informing them. Thorin was beyond furious when he noticed what had happened. If a dwarf's One was sacred, a king's One could surely become a target if someone wanted to destabilize a kingdom. 

He only calmed down slightly after being reassured by Gandalf that the elves had deemed properly to place Katniss on the wing destined to single maidens and that she had been offered a room, a warm bath, food and clean clothes. Gandalf and Bilbo were also settled at guest rooms at Elrond’s house, but Thorin refused to take the guest rooms, as he claimed that his men should all remain together. 

It had been Elrohir who decided to offer them one of the small houses at the edge of the valley, despite it having been empty for centuries and not have been prepared for receiving guests. Thorin accepted it begrundly, even though he thought that he would rather camp on the opening.

Despite his tiredness, Thorin was barely able to have some proper sleep, as his mind kept drifting to wonder how Katniss was faring without them. After the sunrise, he did not waste time to get ready to greet the Lord of the hidden valley, mainly because he had been informed that Katniss was going to be attending that event as well. 

However, she was not there when they arrived at Elrond’s dining hall. Elrond and Gandalf were and they were quick to invite him to sit at a separate table from the rest of his company. He did not like that. He would rather sit with the rest of his men. The table they were seating had been set for five people, not three, making Thorin wonder if he was supposed to invite his nephews or Balin to sit along with them. However, as Elrond’s Son’s seemed to be nowhere to be found, he imagined that his nephews had fortunately been excused from that torment. 

Soon the niceties began, and he and Gandalf showed the elf Lord the swords they had retrieved from the troll hoard. 

“How did you come by these?” Elrond asked after he had examined and returned both swords to their new owners.

“We found them in a troll hoard on the Great East Road, shortly before we were ambushed by orcs.” Gandalf informed him casually.

“And what were you doing on the Great East Road?” Elrond pushed the subject making Thorin feel uncomfortable. He turned to his company, ready to excuse himself from the table and freed himself from that tortuous conversation when he saw a vision that simultaneously warmed and clenched his heart. 

Katniss came forward wearing a dress of elvish making that had been perfectly adjusted to her body. She was being escorted by a male elf, looking way too comfortable with that pointy ear fellow for his taste. Her hair no longer displayed the hairstyle that he had braided and that also stung deeply. It reminded him that she was not his. At least, not yet. And perhaps she could end up deciding that she would never want to be his after all. 

“Lass, you are wearing a dress!” Bofur shouted instead of greeting her good morning.

“Where is your dwarrow hairstyle?” Kili asked, feeling disappointed. 

“I washed my hair last night…” she said, feeling a little bit flushed.

"Ye are lookin’ too much lik’ an elf!" Dwalin complained.

"Na, our Lassie wears it better!" Balin smiled at her.

"Who is your pointy ear bodyguard?" Gloin squinted his eyes as he analysed the blond elf from his seat. 

However, Katniss did not need to answer that question, because Lord Elrond himself stood up and addressed the elf who was escorting her.

“Glorfindel, Mellonnen! Lady Katniss" Lord Elrond greeted them with a small bow as he pointed to the two remaining empty seats on his table "Please, join us.”

“Thorin!” Katniss’s face lit up as he noticed that the leader of their company was also seating at the table she had been invited to join. However, the wound she had unwillingly inflicted upon him was still too fresh for him to answer her with any signs of politeness, so he answered her with a grunt. Katniss on her turn looked at him feeling confused.

“Sorry about our lateness, Mellonnen. Lady Katniss allowed me to try on her futuristic bow, and I could not let this opportunity come to pass…”

“ _ What? _ You let this pointy-eared to use your bow?!” Kili was unable to contain himself and ended up releasing his indignation even though he was not sitting at the main table. Thorin’s face was pure rage as he learned that as well.

“ Did I do something wrong?” she asked, feeling extremely confused as she unceremoniously filled up her plate with as much food she could.

“You have done nothing wrong, my dear. Master Kili might be feeling a bit jealous that he did not get to have a go as well, that is all.” Gandalf informed her with a grandfatherly smile. 

“He never asked!” she answered defensively.

“You never offered!” Thorin accused her, full of rage.

“Well, he can have a go at it, if he wants it that badly!”

Thorin grunted instead of giving her a proper answer, and to that, she frowned at him. Meanwhile, Glorfindel, Elrond and Gandalf seemed to be exchanging some amusing glances between them, which was completely missed by the due who were too busy throwing daggers at each other with their eyes. 

The rest of the company had also finally stopped complaining about the food and the music and had their attention resting on Thorin and Katniss as if they were watching a soap opera. Some of them went as far as making wagers on the outcome of that fallout with their Iglishmêk’s hand sign.

“While I was hunting the remaining orcs and ran away last night, I ended up finding the hoard where the trolls that Lady Katniss slayed used to live…”

That got Thorin’s attention back to business

“You have no claim to that treasure!” Thorin spat.

“Of course not! I would never dream to claim such a thing!” Glorfindel said defensively “it is Lady Katniss who has killed those unholy beasts, therefore, she is the one who has got a legitimate claim to the treasure. Though I will offer my services to retrieve it, as I believe it would be wise to move it from the East Road. That is not a safe place to keep it.”

“I… I don’t want any treasure…” Katniss said, feeling unsure.

“Yes, you do.” Thorin ordered her. “Besides, my nephews aided her. I shall send some of my men to retrieve the treasure…”

“If the Orc packs are after you, it would be deemed unwise to go back,” Gandalf looked from Thorin to Katniss.

“And you don’t get to tell me what to do!” Katniss spat at Thorin. “I don’t want the treasure.”

“Yes, you do. If you don’t take it free-willing, you will take it because you are bound to me by contract to do so.”

“ _ What _ ?” 

“Balin!” Thorin shouted to the table where his men were seated and fully paying attention to what was going on. “Bring me her contract!”

“Wait! In that case, I have changed my mind. I will take the treasure. Lord Glorfindel, I accept your offer to retrieve it…”

“Katniss!” Thorin growled in outrage.

“ I shall use  _ my _ treasure to pay your people for the trouble of letting our company stay here at Rivendell…”

“That is way too much gold for such little trouble…” Thorin squinted his eyes at her full of anger.

“Very well. If that is your wish, my Lady... I will ensure to ask for a fair price,” Elrond bowed his head at her, who raised her chalice and sent a toast in his direction. 

“Please, ensure to charge everything. From the food we have eaten to the arrows Glorfindel promised to make for me. I hate owning people…”

“You promised to make her arrows!?” Thorin immediately stood up, pointing his finger to the elf warrior who opened his eyes wide in shock by Thorin’s crude behaviour. The musicians immediately stopped to play, and every single pair of eyes in the room were focused on him.

“Thorin! Sit down now! You are making a fool of yourself!” Gandalf fumed at him.

But Thorin refused to listen to him. He also decided that he had heard enough. Without saying anything, he left the table and the dining hall altogether, leaving a mortal silence and perplexed faces behind him. Katniss grunted and rolled her eyes as she also stood up and quickly excused herself, asking permission to leave the table so she could follow Thorin. Lord Elrod gave her a short nod. 

Katniss had already started to walk away when she remembered that she had barely had time to eat, so she ran back to the table and grabbed a brioche before she started running way.

“Thorin!” Katniss shouted as she left the dining halls and ran through the corridors of Elrond’s house as she tried to keep up with his fast pace.

After she left, everyone stayed still for a moment, unsure on how to deal with the situation, until Lord Elrond stood up and said that they should carry on eating and playing music as if nothing had happened. Slowly the dwarves went back to their complaints about the food and music available, and Gandalf started to talk to both Lords in Sindarin.

_ “That was quite the scene, my friend…”  _ Lord Elrond said as he raised an eyebrow.

_ “Forgive his behaviour, my friend. You know how dwarves can get when it comes to their One…”  _ Gandalf said apologetically.

_ “His One? You mean, the girl?”  _ Glorfindel raised his eyebrow in surprise. _ “That does explain quite a bit, my friend.”  _

_ “Yes, presenting their intended with weapons is a dwarrow courting tradition. You can imagine what Thorin’s clouded mind assumed when you mentioned the arrows…” Gandalf said with a pitiful look on his face. _

_ “A dwarf and a daughter of man? I never thought I would live enough years to see this happening!”  _ Elrond told Gandalf as he gave a quick glance to the rest of the company.

_ “Don’t be so surprised, my friend, the heart wants what it wants. You as a descendant of Luthien and Beren should know that better than anyone else.”  _

_ “True. Though she does seem to be an odd woman. I sense something strange about her… like she is not entirely human...”  _ Lord Elrond said as he examined her bow and quiver that she seemed to have forgotten by her chair. 

Gandalf gave him a smug look, as he wondered if he should share his own suspicions about her to his friends. 

_ “While we were walking around the Imladris she mentioned something quite extraordinary, actually”  _ Glorfindel gave Gandalf an intense glare _ “she mentioned something about being from the future…” _

To that Elrond raised his eyes in surprise.

_ “Anything else you are trying to hide from me, my friend?” Elrond asked with a stern. _

_ “I am not hiding anything. But some secrets are just not mine to share…” _

The elf lord nodded in understanding. However, a food fight seemed to have started among the dwarrow, breaking the mood for any further discussion about Thorin and Katniss between them.

_ \----------------------------------- _

  
  


“Thorin!” Katniss shouted as she left the dining halls and ran through the corridors of Elrond’s house as she tried to keep up with his fast pace.

He had already reached the gardens when she managed to stop him. His eyes were filled with rage.

“What is the matter with you!?” she tried not to shout at him, but her words came louder than she had intended. 

“Isn’t that obvious to you yet?” He sounded hurt.

“No…?” she honestly answered, trying to lower her voice more this time.

He looked at her intensely and she returned the glare. Everything he wanted to do, was to press her body hard against a tree and kiss her senseless until she begged him for more. That way, she would finally understand that she was his. She did not belong with that pointy-eared elf, nor did she belong with those two human lads from the future. She belonged to him. He clenched his fists to help to restrain himself from succumbing to his own urges. 

“Thorin…? What is wrong about Glorfindel making me some arrows?” she asked calmly, however, his anger returned at full strength as he heard her saying these words.

“If you wanted new arrows, you should have asked me!” he ranted in frustration.

“Thorin, he just noticed I was low in arrows and offered to help me!” she huffed in frustration.

“I know well enough the kind of help he wanted to give you!” Thorin grumbled.

“What are you talking about? And I had no idea you could make metal arrows too, you know?”

“If you are needing new arrows, I will make you new arrows! And they will have much better making than the ones done by any khurb-takhrabmî zars-tamanâl!” he growled, and she sighed. She did not need to understand the words he said to realise they were likely to be swearing words used against Glorfindel.

“You are just being as silly as a six-year-old boy now, Thorin!” she scowled. “Gandalf is right, you are making a fool of yourself!”

He fumed in anger but did not say anything. She turned around, ready to find the way back to her room when she heard him growling.

“You already undid your hair. Did you not like it…?” he asked, trying not to sound too hurt.

“I loved it.” she answered him honestly “I was actually going to ask you to do my hair again, but you are being such a jerk about this, that I am no longer sure if I want you that close to me again…”

He blinked in disbelief as he was caught completely off guard by her confession.

“Truly?” he asked.

She nodded to confirm it.

“Then name a price for you to forget and forgive my foolishness, Amrâlimê!” 

“Well… perhaps you could stop being a prat and start by making amends with Lord Elrond and Lord Glorfindel. They have been nothing but kind to us so far…”

“You are asking too much…” he answered with a frown.

“I never said my price would be cheap…”

To that, he sighed.

“And I wouldn’t have expected nothing less from you, Mizin. I will do as you wish.”

“Good. I need to go now. The elf that escorted me to my room last night is probably waiting for me…” 

“You rather spend your time with an elf than here with me?”

“Not really. But I do need to wash my clothes,” she said with a smile. “I will see you around,”

And she left him standing there, happily watching her disappearing back to Elrond’s house. Now he was going to have to make amends with these elves, his pride and dignity be doomed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Khuzul as always stolen from the dwarrow scholar:
> 
> khurb-takhrabmî zars-tamanâl: Horse riding tree dweller
> 
> .  
> .
> 
> You have no idea how happy I get with every single review, kudos or bookmark I received! It does make me want to write it quicker. 
> 
> So please don't forget to let me know your thoughts :)


	13. Chapter 13: Rivendell part 2

As soon as Katniss entered her room, she found Miliel was already there waiting for her. The elleth was bending down to pick up her hunting bag that had fallen on the floor. Katniss’s heart almost stopped beating when she noticed that Miliel was holding and admiring Cinna’s sketches that should have been inside that same bag. She frowned and went straight to the place Miliel was standing, almost snatching Cinna’s drawings from the hands of the elleth, who was looking very apologetic despite being on the receiving end of Katniss’s rudeness.

“I’m sorry my Lady, I didn't mean to pry. The drawings had fallen on the floor when I was making your bed and…”

“You don’t need to make my bed. I am perfectly capable of doing it myself…” Katniss frowned. 

“I just wanted to be of service, my Lady. After all, it is my duty to ensure that your needs are taken care of while you are Lord’s Elrond guest...” 

“Thank you Miliel, but I think you can remove making my bed from your task list. I also believe that I asked you to not call me my Lady...”

The elleth nodded in understatement.

“Did you make these?” the elleth asked pointing to the drawings that Katniss still held “They look so different from anything I have seen before!” Miliel said full of awe. 

“Me? No, no,” she vehemently denied “my friend did it for me.”

“Your friend is very talented.”

“Yes, he was…” Katniss said in a low voice as she tried to avoid looking Miliel in the eyes. The elleth caught the meaning behind the ‘was’ straight away.

“Did he ever… get to do these designs?”

“Yes, most of them at least…”

“Well, it would be my pleasure to try to make some of these for you, my Lady. If you allow me, of course. They seem to have been made for you, anyway…”

“Sure. I think he would have liked that…” 

Miliel nodded in agreement as Katniss handed over Cinna’s sketches to her. The elleth took it with extreme reverence and promised to be careful with it.

Only then she realised that if she was really in the past, Cinna was also yet to be born. Thorin and Gandalf both seemed to believe that she might be able to change the future on her own time. Could she possibly do something that would prevent Cinna’s early death?

“Shall we go, Katniss?”

Katniss nodded and got hold of all the few clothes that she had in her possession. The basket that Miliel had given to her remained almost empty. They were about to leave her room when Katniss was suddenly aware of the lightness on her shoulder. She wasn’t carrying her bow or her quiver along with her. She looked around and could not see them anywhere.

“My bow! Where is my bow!” she panicked. 

“Calm down, Katniss! Where did you have it last time?”

“I think…” she tried remembering what she did that morning “I forgot it during breakfast! We need to go back…”

“Don’t you worry. I am sure that your bow is somewhere safe. One of your friends must have noticed and is probably keeping it for you. Right now we need to go to the river if we want to get this done today…”

“But… What if we are attacked? I have got a few knives on me, but I much rather have my bow just in case...” 

Miliel looked at Katniss as if she had lost her mind.

“I guarantee that Rivendell is an extremely safe place. In fact, this is probably one of the safest places in Arda, Miss Katniss.”

Katniss did not look too convinced, but due to Miliel's insistence that they needed to go soon, otherwise she would not be able to do all her laundry. Katniss had to admit that the elleth’s laundry basket was indeed overflowing. The victor from District twelve ended up giving up trying to retrieve her bow before that errand was completed.

Many other female elves seemed to be already doing their own laundry when Katniss and Miliel arrived at the area of the river that was designed to do that. They all greeted Miliel in Sindarin and threw curious glances at Katniss, who tried her best to ignore them.

Despite the fact that before she moved to the victor’s village her family washed their clothes by hand, they used to do it inside their own homes. Therefore, the sight of the most stunning looking females she had ever seen bending down at the river bank while tossing their dresses and undergarments against flat stones was something that she was definitely not used to witnessing. 

Miliel started quickly working on her clothes with an easiness that she acquired through the many years she had lived. Katniss, however, took her time to look around, trying to quickly pick up some of the techniques the elf maids used to remove dirt and stain from their clothes. It was then that she spotted a woman who had also stopped her own washing to have a better look at her. The woman felt embarrassed when she noticed that she had been caught. Katniss could tell straight away that the woman was most definitely not an elf. Miliel quickly noticed the awkwardness between them and decided to help to break the ice by making the proper introductions.

So as they washed away the grime from their clothes, Katniss learned that the woman’s name was Gilraen, and she was a permanent resident at Rivendell alongside her son Estel since her husband died. She did not seem to want to talk much about that, and Katniss knew well enough how it was like not wanting to talk about painful subjects to not insist on it. Soon enough, Miliel moved the topic of their conversation to their crafts. Gilraen seemed to share Miliel’s passion for designing and making new clothes. Both ladies turned out to be quite curious and amused when they analysed Katniss clothes and undergarments, especially both her bras. 

When Gilraen started asking if she had made these, Katniss was quick to deny and tell them about Cinna’s brilliance. 

“I don’t have a craft.” Katniss was quick to admit as she was finishing washing her last piece of clothing.

“But you must have one! Everyone is good at something…” Miliel said with a maternal smile.

“The only thing I am good at is hunting and poaching. And that is hardly a craft…”

“Your craft is the craft of a warrior, then. It is unusual for female’s to adopt it, but definitely not something unheard of…” the elleth said thoughtfully “is there anything else you are good at?”

“Well, I guess I can sign in tune. Again, not really a craft…”

“But music is a very noble craft, Miss Katniss!” Gilraen informed her.

“I never made music of my own, nor I am able to play an instrument…” 

“You probably never found the instrument who calls you yet. But do not worry, I will help you find it!” Miliel said, determined, and even though Katniss who did not have the heart to contract her, looked disbelief.

Katniss was about to pack up her things and leave, when she noticed Gandalf far ahead talking to an extremely weird old man. She frowned her eyes as she asked Miliel about the mysterious man's identity.

“Oh, if I am not wrong, that is the brown wizard! I wonder what he is doing here. I have only seen him once before…”

Katniss nodded, and after saying her farewells, she left the other ladies doing their laundry in peace.

\-----------------------------------

It wasn’t very hard to find the house that the dwarves had claimed as theirs during their stay at Rivendell. In order to do that, she only needed to follow their distinctive rowdy noise. The house where the dwarves were staying was much more raw and simple than the comfortable lounges and guest rooms present in Lord Elrond's main house. There was no ornate furniture and no soft silk bedspread at that house. Besides, Katniss was almost certain that the condition of this house had probably improved since her dwarrow friends had claimed it as their temporary address.

They had just started eating a very large lunch when she arrived, which was very fortunate. As Katniss had basically run away from her breakfast that morning, a nice warm meal was exactly what she was needing.

The majority of the company seemed to give her a warm welcome, though her heart sank when Kili did not return her smile.

“Don’t worry Lass. He is only sulking because you left that elf to shoot with your bow and you never offered that to him…” Fili smirked.

“Honestly, Kili!” Katniss rolled her eyes. “Right, you can use my bow as soon as I can find out where it is…”

“Your bow is here.” Kili mumbled, “Uncle ensured that it would not be left under the care of the elves when he went back to talk to Lord Elrond…”

“Oh, so did Thorin go back there to apologise?” she asked, a bit surprised that Thorin had actually done what he had promised he would do.

“Aye. We haven’t seen him since.” Dwalin gave her an intense glare.

“And he made us clean that mess we made at their dining hall. ” Bofur bleated.

“I don’t know what you told him Lassie, but it definitely has changed his attitude…” Balin complimented. 

“Good,” she said as she grabbed a roasted rabbit leg to herself as she sat down next to Kili. 

“And you can stop sulking now, Kili. Feel free to have a go with my bow anytime you want.” Katniss told him, but his expression did not change much.

“I got a huge scold for teaching you some of our secret sign language, you know?” the young Prince snorted accusingly. 

Katniss grunted.

“I did not ask for you to teach me that.” she snapped back, but one glance at Kili's miserable semblance made she decide to use a different strategy. “Though it would be helpful if you taught me how to shoot while riding my pony...”

“But you did well during the battle with the Orcs…” Kili answered feeling puzzled.

“No, I got lucky, that is all. I rather not have to rely on it again.”

Kili nodded in agreement.

“We can start our training session after lunch. I will request one of your special arrows as payment for my time though...” he said with a mischievous look in his eyes.

Katniss and a few dwarrow men looked puzzled by his attitude of charging a price for teaching her. Some others like Fili and Balin were giving him a smug look.

“Are you really going to charge me for teaching me this, Kili?” she said, looking uneasy. Kili was about to open his mouth to say something else, but she was faster. “Right. Whatever it takes for you to stop looking so miserable. I don’t know how exactly my arrows work, but I am sure you will need to shoot them with my arrow for it to work…”

“Oh, don’t worry. It should work well enough for what I have in mind…”

Katniss threw him a calculated glare but decided to stay quiet. Katniss was quite upset when she realised that it was unlikely that she would get to see Thorin before they went over to Rivendell’s stables to practice shooting while riding. However, they did not go there alone, as the majority of the company decided to tag along. While some of them wanted to see how their own pony was faring, others were very keen to see how well Katniss would do and others have even gone as far as to place some bets on it.

In the end, it was not surprising that her biggest struggle was controlling her pony and maintaining her posture while shooting. Mounted archery required the rider to let go the reins, so the horse control had to come from the pressure on her legs and her body posture. And these were all advanced riding techniques that she had yet to master. Kili started by asking her to ride as fast as could and shoot ahead, and then turning to her sides. In the end, he decided to ask her to attempt to turn her body to shoot backwards, but she almost ended up falling from her pony and they decided to call it day. 

However, her training day was far from over. As soon her pony was back to Rivendell’s stable, Dwalin took over and called her to another sword training session. So she left her bow and quiver with Kili’s eager hands and borrowed his sword so she would have one during her training. Katniss was excited because that would be the first time that Dwalin dared to allow her to use a real sword. As he had said, he trusted that she was competent enough to not stab herself by accident. It had become clearer that her progress with the sword was going much quicker than what she had achieved with the axe so far. Because of that, Dwalin informed her that they would prioritise getting her competent enough on sword fighting so she would be able to hold her ground during a possible battle.

After witnessing what Orcs looked like and how they fought, Katniss was determined to master her sword fighting technique as quickly as possible. Once her training with Dwalin was over, she was torn between going back to her room at Elrond’s household or returning to the place where her dwarven friends were staying. It was the perspective of seeing Thorin again and the promise of a warm dwarrow stew that made her decide to go back to their site.

However, Thorin Oakenshield was still nowhere to be seen. Nonetheless, she ate their food, enjoyed their merry tunes, laughed off their silly jokes and took confort from their company until it was so late that the sun had set. After she resigned that she was not going to see Thorin that day, she accepted Dwalin’s offer to escort her back to Elrond’s household. However, when they were half-way to their destination, they saw Thorin doing the opposite walk that they were doing.

Katniss immediately felt the excitement coming from inside her chest and stomach, and this time she was certain that it was definitely not hunger of food the underlying cause of these new sensations. She had to restrain herself so she wouldn’t run and wrap him in a tight hug. 

“I did not think I would see you tonight…” Thorin grinned as he looked at her smiling face. He also gave Dwalin a nod in acknowledgment and as a thank you for him to be looking after her.

Thorin looked exhausted. He had sweat dripping all over his face and hair. Katniss frowned as she wondered what he could possibly have been doing.

“Well, I am glad we met. I have been waiting to see you the whole evening.”

Both Thorin and Dwalin exchanged a cumplice glance.

“Any special reason why you wanted to see me so bad?” he asked her while giving a flirtatious smirk, which she noticed and ended up blushing.

“I just wanted to say well done for making amends with the elves…”

“I gave you my word, did I not, Amrâlimê?”

Dwalin gasped in surprise by hearing his friend calling that girl his love. While the dwarrow warrior had no doubt that Thorin’s heart had already chosen her to be his one, watching his king voicing his suspicions added a whole new weight to it. He then wondered if the girl was aware of the powerful meaning behind that confession. Somehow, he suspected that she didn’t.

"Was it difficult?" Katniss asked as she tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear.

“Extremely.” his eyes lingered on the strand of hair that she had just fixed full of desire

“Oh?”

“A little damage to my pride, but I will survive.” he said, returning his attention to her eyes. They remained at their usual silent glaring contest for a while. Dwalin, who was still waiting a few steps behind her, almost lost his patience with them. Thorin felt the unseaness of his friend and decided to break the moment they were sharing.

“Let me escort you back to your quarters, Mizin” he said offering an arm for her to hold, which she promptly accepted. Dwalin still followed them, but allowed a much larger gap between him and the couple, in order of giving them some privacy.

“Your treasure has been retrieved by that elf. My impression is that there were more things inside that hoard than what he has brought, but there is no way to prove it now. I wish you had allowed me to have my way and send my own men to do that job…”

“You saw what Gandalf said. It wasn’t safe for us to go back!” 

“Tharkûn could be wrong. Maybe the conflict with the Orcs was nothing but ill lucky…”

“Still… would you dare risk their lives for a bit of treasure?” she asked in pure disbelief “I can understand risking it to take back your homeland, but doing the same thing for gold?”

Thorin considered his words carefully.

“You are right. But you are also wrong. I don’t like to see them taking advantage of your innocence, Mizin. Elves can have a silver tongue, and twist things and facts to serve their own ill purposes…”

“I promise to be more on my guard around them, if that gives you peace of mind”

“It does.” Thorin confirmed as he tried to reduce the pace of their walk. He knew that they were approaching Elrond’s house, but he was not ready to be apart from her again. “I hope you don’t mind that I took the liberty of separating some precious stones to use on something that I am working on…”

“Sure,” she nodded. “You know well enough that I did not want anything to do with that treasure for starters…”

“Why not? You know well enough what it is like to have a hard life. That treasure could make you live a tranquil life where you would not need to worry about where your next meal is going to come from.”

“I don’t like that treasure. I had to kill in order to have it,”

“Trolls. You killed trolls, Katniss…”

“Trolls or not, it's still a life…”

“A worthless, horrible and disgusting existence. The world is a much better place without them. They were nothing but worthless murders. And they weren’t the original owners of that treasure, if that is what you are thinking. They probably got their hands much more dirty than you can imagine as they built that little hoard. I see retrieving that treasure from their dirty hands as divine providence,”

“That may be the case, but I still see little use for so much money. I am not really fond of jewels, and I already had more money than I could spend, and that did not bring me happiness…”

“It doesn’t.” he agreed as they climbed the steps to Lord Elrond's household. “But it can make the pain more bearable…”

Once they were at the main door, they both turned around to face each other. This time Thorin vowed to himself that he would not break their silence. He could not help but think about what she had told him earlier. Because he barely had been able to focus on anything else that wasn’t his hands braiding her soft wave hair again during the whole day. 

Even Erebor had stayed in the second plan, so much was his fixation. Gandalf had to remind him to ask Lord Elrod assistance to read his map, which he begrudgingly did, just to find out that the map contained moon runes. This meant that they would need to remain in Rivendell for longer than he had originally wished for, and wait until the date they would be able to read the map.

The mere thought that Katniss had said that she wanted him to braid her hair again made him lose his mind. But he would not lose his composure. He would not impose. He would not remind her. He would not ask. He wanted her to be the one to suggest that again.

However, he did not need to wait much. Unable to retrain herself any longer, Katniss narrowed the gap between them and wrapped him into a tight hug. 

“Thorin…” she whispered in his ear. She had craved for the warmth of his strong arms since her nightmare the previous night. She had to force herself to let him go, but he was quick to hold her there.

_ “ _ Katniss…” he whispered her name, making her lose her balance. He was about to ask her about the true nature of her feelings for him when they were forced to break apart as a female voice called her name.

“Oh, I am so sorry! I didn't mean to interrupt…” Katniss recognised Miliel’s voice before she turned around to see her face. Thorin remained possessively holding Katniss’s arm, not really willing to delay this special moment with his One any longer.

“Miliel…” Katniss’ cold greeting also showed her frustration from having been interrupted by the elleth.

“I’m sorry, but Lady Galadriel of Lórien has requested to see you, Miss Katniss”

“I’m sorry, Lady who?” Katniss bluntly asked, making Thorin suffocate a laugh.

“Lady Galadriel. Both of you are yet to become acquainted, but she wants to talk to you…”

“Can’t this wait?” she asked with frustration. “It is late and I am tired…”

“I’m sorry Katniss, but she was quite insistent on this…”

Katniss rolled her eyes and groaned in frustration, but Thorin gave a gentles squeeze on her hand and turned her over so she would be facing him again.

“You should go, Mizin. I hope we can carry on this conversation later?” he had a flirty glint in his eyes, that made her blush. Still, Katniss held her gaze on him, and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek making he flushed as well. 

After waving goodbye to Dwalin who remained watching everything from the distance, she followed Miliel through a stoned path that led to the gardens of Rivendell leaving both dwarves alone.

Dwalin gave Thorin a sly look as his king climbed down the stairs. Thorin sighed. Dwalin started laughing about the look on Thorin’s flushed face. As they headed back to their settlement house together, they started to talk quickly in Khuzdul.

“Amrâlimê, Mizin… the lass has grabbed you by the beard!” Dwalin joked.

Thorin grunted in annoyance, but he did not look as grumpy as one would expect.

“She kissed you…” Dwalin pointed out with a cheerful smile.

“On the cheeks...” Thorin added with a stern.

“I am pretty sure it would have been on the mouth if it wasn't for that elf…” Dwalin stated

Thorin grunted in agreement.

“Do you think it still counts?” Thorin asked, feeling hopeful.

“I am pretty sure it does.” Dwalin answered as he scratched his beard and tried to remember everything he knew about courting procedures.

“Good. Because today I started forging her a sword.” Thorin confessed without looking his friend in the eyes.

Dwalin got the meaning straight away. And he was shocked.

“Mahal’s beard, Thorin! Proposing already? Don’t you think it is a bit too hasty?”

“She is my One. You cannot understand what it is like because you have yet to find yours. My entire body is craving her touch more than it craves the air. You know me. I want to do the right thing. And I don’t think I would be able to deny her pleasure if she decides to invite me to her bed…”

“You are doomed, my friend!” Dwalin shaked his head in amusement.

“If I were to have my way with her, she would already be my Queen.” Thorin confessed.

“Then for your sake and for the sake of our quest, I can only hope that we have a new Queen soon!” Dwalin gave Thorin a pat on his shoulders “Tonight we should celebrate. It is not everyday that our king starts forging a sword for our future Queen!”

Thorin’s smile grew wide as he gave a grunt of approval to his loyal friend.

\--------------------------------

Despite the darkness of the night, the garden that Miliel had led Katniss to was lit by the moonlight and the stars which shone as bright as she had ever witnessed. Katniss waited with her arms crossed in annoyance, her bow and quiver still resting on her shoulders. Meanwhile the Lady of Lórien  calmly collected some water from a well, her long golden-silvery hair glowing radiant as the sun.

_ Katniss Everdeen. The Mockingjay of the rebellion from a future past. We met at last. _

Katniss squinted her eyes with a growing distrustful suspicion as she heard the voice of Lady Galadriel speaking from inside her head. Katniss was about to voice a question that she had been thinking when the Lady of the Woods addressed her verbally. 

“I came to Rivendell as soon as I sensed your presence in the Third Age. You have been gifted by the Valar and your fate has already been changed.”

“Why did you want to see me?” Katniss asked impatiently. 

Lady Galadriel gave her an enigmatic smile and poured the water she had collected from the well inside a silver basin.

“Come closer, daughter of Abraham. I invite you to see through my mirror,” 

“Your mirror…?” Katniss frowned to the basin, which in her opinion looked like anything but a mirror.

“Yes, Katniss, my mirror. It is supposed to show you things that were, and things that are, and things that yet may be,"

“Right,” Katniss said, not really believing the elleth in the slightest. 

Despite that, she still made her way to the place where Lady Galadriel was standing and even though she had a frown on her eyes, Katniss peaked to see what was waiting for her inside the basin. And how surprised she was by the images that she saw.

Firstly, she witnessed Thorin fighting and perishing in a mortal combat with a horrid creature - a one-handed pale orc, that cheated and ended up stabbing Thorin. Katniss who was witnessing everything from the safety of Rivendell’s garden screamed his name as the orc’s blade pierced his skin. She saw Thorin killing the same pale orc just after he received the mortal blow, but she knew enough about injuries to know that without the kind of medical technology they possessed on her time, Thorin would be unlikely to survive.  Her heart was beating fast as she watched a much more realistic version of her last-night nightmares happening from inside the basin that Galadriel called a mirror. She was about to lift her eyes from it, when the images changed showing her a very different scenery.

Katniss saw herself inside a luxurious room that she had never seen before, wearing a dress and brushing the long wavy brown hair of a young girl that was probably not older than five years of age. Katniss looked a bit older, though if she had to guess, she was probably around her twenties. An older girl, who seemed to be in her earlier teenage years and somehow resembled her sister, slammed the door as she entered the room making both Katniss’ - the one in the image inside the mirror and the one watching it - raise their eyebrows.

“Mum! Frerin and Thrór won't listen to me!” 

The Katniss from inside the basin grunted in annoyance. Meanwhile, the Katniss who was watching the scene at Rivendell's garden gasped in shock.

“Prím, can you braid your sister’s hair for me? I will deal with them,” Katniss said as she left the room without giving the girls another glance. 

She was walking hastily through the white stoned corridors, when she seemed to be caught by surprise when someone grabbed her by the waist, turning her around and giving her a passionate kiss. 

“Thorin…” the Katniss who was watching the mirror whispered as she recognised him immediately. His beard was enormous, and he had more white strands of hair than she remembered him having, but overall he was still looking pretty much the same. 

“Thorin…” the Katniss from the image whispered “I need to go. Frerin and Thrór…”

But he placed his hand on her lips silencing her.

“Dwalin is already taking care of it,” he informed her before he pressed her body against the wall and started his way on undoing her corset and removing her clothes.

“Thorin! Not here! What if someone caught us?” she asked as his hand slid under her dress, finding the gap between her legs.

“Then let them see it” he whispered in her ear as he pressed his thumb against her clitoris and started making circular movements, making her moan.

“What if it is Príma or Kaia that finds us, hmm?” she asked as she tried to ignore what he was doing to her body.

Her phrase had the desired effect, as Thorin immediately stopped working on her body and tried to cover Katniss as he looked from side to side as if he feared that one of their daughters could enter that corridor at any moment.

“Let’s go to our room, Amrâlimê” he whispered in her ear, making her shiver.

“Thorin, we don’t have time for this. The banquet…”

“The banquet will not start until we arrive. This is Erebor, Mizin. The king is never late...” and without asking for her permission, he picked her up and shoved her on his shoulder in a fireman grasp. She did not fight, because she craved his touch as much he was craving hers.

Katniss was about to confront Galadriel about the meaning of these visions when the sight of her sister Primrose Everdeem in the mirror almost made her jump. Prim was in front of the President's Snow mansion from all places. She dressed up in clothes that clearly came from District thirteen, and the red cross around her arm showed that she was working as a paramedic of some sort. 

Her sister seemed to be tending the wounded when a hovercraft dropped some parachutes on them, and the Capitol refugee civilians that were in front of Snow’s residence went straight to collect their prize. However, they all were bombs in disguise. Katniss who was watching everything from the basin screamed Prim’s name as she was forced to witness her sister’s death. Before she was able to stop shaking, the images changed again to show Primrose and Peeta looking much healthier and older than she remembered them to be. They were at a lake that Katniss knew to be at District Twelve. They were throwing flower petals inside the river. Katniss wondered why she was doing that and being so wasteful, as she knew they were perfectly eatable.  


“It has been ten years since she has passed away here in these woods, Peeta. And still… there is not a single day that I don’t think about Katniss...”

Peeta hugged Prim from behind in a way that only a lover would do. Katniss did not feel jealous, though she was very surprised.

“We better get back, Prim. We don’t want your father to be worried.”

Katniss’s heart started beating fast again. And then, the basin scenery changed for one last time. 

Katniss saw herself again. She was old, very old. She almost failed to recognise herself. However, her eyes lit up when she realised that she was in the very same lake that her sister had been in the previous memory, though the lake was somehow bigger, the nearby trees that she knew like the back of her own hand were much smaller and younger than what she remembered. By the clothes she saw herself and the dwarf who was accompanying her were wearing, Katniss was pretty certain that they were still in the Third Age.

She approached one oak tree, touching it with respect and admiration, and then informed the dwarf.

“It is here!”

The dwarf nodded. Katniss had a better look at him, and only then she realized that he resembled Thorin. The dwarf started working on making a secret hole on the ground just in front of that tree where Katniss placed a chest. Once she was done, the dwarf covered it and concealed it again using some dwarven magic, and carved a dwarrow rune and the Mockinjay’s symbols on that tree truck.

“Amad… our mission here at the Blue Mountains is complete. I did as you requested. Please, come back to Erebor with me. It will break my brothers' heart not seeing you again, especially after father…” he stopped his sentence as if voicing the words he wanted to say were just too painful.

“My Son. I cannot, and I will not step in that mountain again. Not while I am alive anyway. Take my body there when I am dead and place it with your father’s, if that is your wish. But I don’t want to go back just yet. Too many memories…” she stood looking at the lake. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Let me stay here with my lake, and my trees, and my meadow… you don’t need to worry. As you saw, we still have got some of our people here at the Blue Mountains. They will look after your old mother… you know they hold enough respect for your father to do any different.”

“Amad, I cannot go and leave you here.” He said, determined. “If you are so determined to stay, so shall I!”

“Nonsense. I am old, but I can still look after myself…”

“It is not only because of you that I am staying, amad.”

“Oh? The girl… the daughter of Aín?” she asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise. The dwarrow went red as a ripped tomato, but he confirmed it with a nod. “Very well. Perhaps I will get to spend some time with some of my grandchildren before I die…”

Katniss raised her eyes to meet Lady Galadriel’s. The elleth gave her a gentle smile. Katniss did not smile back. In fact, she looked angry.

“What was that?” she asked, trying to control her nerves the best way she could.

“You just witnessed glances of different possibilities of things that still might be…"

"Impossible." Katniss shook her head “my father is dead. Why would Prim be talking about him as if he was alive?”

“How can your father be dead if he is yet to be born, Katniss? Your future-self is yet to be born. And the life of your future-self shall be reshaped according to the decisions you make in your immediate future"

“I don’t get it,”

“You have got the power to change things. The Katniss that you are, might only exist here now. Because the Katniss that is yet to be born might never have to experience hunger, or take part in the games…”

“I will never get to see my sister again?” there was real despair in Katniss’ voice now, as she finally began to realise the size of the ramifications of her presence in that time.

“I am sorry, child, but you needed to understand...” Lady Galadriel looked genuinely sorry for her.

The sharpness of the elleth’s words hit Katniss hard. No more Prim. No more Peeta. No more Gale. No more Haymitch, Elfie, Cinna…

“Is there anything I can do to ease your pain?” the Lady of the Woods asked full of concern.

“Just leave me alone…”

And without saying anything else, Katniss grabbed her things and disappeared inside the woods.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the reviews guys! Every single one makes me feel so happy to be here writing and sharing this story with you. :)


	14. Chapter 14: A turbulent departure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the delay on this chapter. My own stubbornness to blame. At least now I have a beta-reader (shout to Nauze!), so hopefully, you should have a more enjoyable reading experience :)

No more Prim. No more Peeta. No more Gale. No more Haymitch, Elfie, Cinna, Finnick, her mother…

Despite the darkness, Katniss ended up running aimlessly until her tired legs begged for her to stop. She then climbed the highest tree she could find, and finally let down the tears she had been trying to hold. In a few minutes, she had lost all the hope she had been nurturing of seeing her loved ones again. In a few minutes, she had learned that two of her nightmares could still come true. She had witnessed both Prim and Thorin dying horrible deaths on a battlefield. And even though she had also seen images of a much brighter future, somehow, that perspective also seemed daunting. 

She could no longer deny that she indeed felt an enormous attraction towards the dwarrow King. But starting a family, having children -  _ multiple children _ \- getting married, and especially getting married to someone like Thorin, who had so many tribulations and the weight of a kingdom upon his shoulders. This notion terrified her. However, it was facing the hard truth that she would no longer be able to spend time with her sister that was weighing on her heart that night.

So, she remained awake, ruminating thoughts about her situation while she tried to ignore how unprepared she was for staying in the wild, as the lightness of the elven dress that she was still wearing allowed the cold night air to chill her body. It was already dawn when the tiredness got the better of her and she finally succumbed to her slumber. 

\-----------------------------------------------

The first thing she heard before she even opened her eyes was the sound of birds singing. She noticed that she did not have a nightmare that night, which she thought was pretty odd, considering what had happened. But it was the realization that she was lying on a bed that made her open her eyes widely in shock. The first thing she saw was Gandalf, who was comfortably seated in her room’s armchair, holding a gentle grandfatherly smile. She immediately frowned at him.

“How did I get here?” she asked brusquely.

“Master Elladan found you sleeping at the top of a tree when he was doing his patrol rounds this morning. It was a lucky thing he did because you were already outside of the boulders of Imladris. I don’t even want to imagine what could have happened to you if it had been the enemy who had gotten hold of you instead, my dear.”

Katniss grunted but remained quiet. As she sat up on the bed, she noticed that she was somehow wearing a nightgown again. She silently prayed for Milliel to have been the one to change her clothes. 

“You knew,” Katniss accused the wizard with a frown, “you knew there was no way I could get back to my sister…”

“Truth be said, it was not very long ago that you were still struggling to believe that you had gone back to the past, isn’t it right?”

Katniss begrudgingly nodded.

“But if you are a real wizard, couldn’t you just do your hocus-pocus and send me back to my time?”

“I am unfamiliar with the meaning behind ‘hocus-pocus’ my dear, but I am afraid that sending you back might be something beyond my powers. What I can do, and it is something that I already have been doing, is asking about it to the other members of my Order. But I warn you - to not hold high hopes on this…”

There was a brief silence where Gandalf helped himself to some of the grapes that were in his hand’s reach. Katniss stood up and went to wash her face with a jug of water with a basin that was set there with this sole purpose. 

“Galadriel showed me Thorin dying in her mirror…” Katniss blunted as she slowly turned around to face the wizard. Gandalf opened his eyes wide in shock after being confronted by her revelation. “How likely are the visions that she showed me to be accurate, Gandalf…?

Gandalf looked deeply in her eyes before he gave her an answer.

“What you saw was likely to be one version of the future, Katniss. Many other possibilities of it are bound to exist as well.” 

“I think the mirror also showed at least another one…” she blushed as she tried avoiding looking at the wizard in the eyes as the memory of Thorin kissing her future-self passionately invaded her mind.

“Try not to dwell on it too much, Katniss. The best way to change the future is to focus on what can be done now, in the present.”

And without saying anything else, the wizard stood up and started making his way to the door. Though, before he had a chance to get hold of the door handle, Katniss shot him another question.

“Gandalf, wait! How can I know if I am doing what is needed to get away from that future?” she hastily stood up and started to make her way to where he was standing. Gandalf stopped and turned his head so he could see her face.

“Unless you know the details surrounding his death, I guess it is hard to know…”

“I saw him being murdered by an orc. An enormous horrible orc. He did not have one hand… they were alone, on top of a frozen lake...”

Gandalf gave her a calculated look.

“Well, you better ensure that when the time comes, he is not alone then.” 

And without giving her any chance to ask anything else, Gandalf left the room, leaving Katniss alone with a heavy heart and a handful of unanswered questions haunting her mind.

  
  


\-------------------------------------------------------

  
  


Katniss stayed in her room for the remainder of the day. Not even when Milliel appeared to inform her that her dwarrow companions were waiting for her so they could conduct their daily training session, was she compelled to leave.

“Can you let them know that I am unwell today?” 

“Sure. If they request to see you, should I invite them in?” 

“No. Tell them that I asked to be left alone. Now, if they are quite insistent, just tell them that this is some sort of womanly issue. That should be enough to shut them up.” 

Milliel nodded before she left Katniss on her own again. 

When she decided to leave her room, a few days later, and finally have a full breakfast at Elrond’s halls, she ended up bumping into Bilbo, who was on his way to having his second breakfast. The hobbit was quite chatty, and his descriptions of what he had been doing and learning during their brief stay at Rivendell seemed to take her mind out of the issues that had been bothering her. By the end of their meal, Katniss had somehow convinced him to go on a little hunting trip with her.

“You should learn at least how to properly set some snares, Bilbo. This is not only for your sake but for ours as well. Imagine if you get lost, or if most of the company members are injured somehow… you learning how to do this will only help everyone in the long run.”

So Bilbo went along with her, and together they set up snares, went fishing, and she even tried to teach him the basics of archery - even though her bow was a little bit big for him. 

She ended up praising him for being really light on his feet, and in the end, they successfully managed to get her game bag full with dead squirrels and a few big fishes to their dwarrow friends. As they walked their way towards the house where the company was staying, Katniss started talking to him.

“It is a very noble thing what you are doing, you know? Helping them to get their home back…”

“Oh, I am not too sure if I am helping much, Miss Katniss. For most of the time, I am pretty sure they all see me more as a nuisance than anything else…” 

“I will be honest with you, Bilbo. When we left Bag End, I did not think you would join us at all. I am not sure if I would have done the same if I was in your position at that time…”

Bilbo was about to interrupt her to say something, but she stopped him with a wave from her hand.

“No, let me finish. You had no reason to join them, you had everything you could possibly need in Hobbiton, and I am pretty sure that it was not the perspective of a treasure that made you come along on this journey. Still, despite all those things you are still here. Why?”

Bilbo remained quiet for a while, trying to think of a proper answer.

“Must have been the Took in me, I guess. I was probably a bit out of my mind. I am not a fighter or a hero, I am just a mere hobbit...”

“Whatever the reason was, you decided to join and help them in the end. I think it was a very noble and brave thing to do, helping Thorin and the others to recover their homeland. I have lost my home too. I am sure you probably heard about it by now. If anything, I am the one to blame by my District destruction. I would do anything in my power to change Twelve’s fate…”

“And perhaps you will have your chance now. If it is true that you are from the future, the destruction you have witnessed is something still to happen, is it not?”

“Yes… I know, you are going to tell me that I can change it… everyone keeps telling me this. The thing is, I have  _ no  _ idea how to make this change!”

“Well, there must be a way! If not for this reason, why would the Valar send you here?” 

Katniss frowned as she carefully considered his words. 

“I don’t know, Bilbo. I did not ask for this. I wish things had happened in another way. But things were just thrown at me and I had to deal with it. My father’s death… my sister’s name coming out of the ripening…”

“Ripening?” Bilbo asked with a frown. Katniss took a deep breath.

“Right… let me tell you my story, Mister Burglar…”

\----------------------------

After learning about all the hardship surrounding Katniss’ past, and also about the fears she had due to the different perspective of possible futures she had witnessed in Galadriel’s mirror, Bilbo made a point of spending more time around her. This obviously led him to end up spending more time around the dwarrows, and consequently being forced into a decent amount of sword fighting. It felt a bit odd for Katniss, to know that someone else in their company apart from Thorin and Gandalf, now knew about what she had endured before meeting them in Hobbiton. However, somehow, that also felt comforting, and she knew that she was slowly getting ready to share more things about her past with the rest of the company if a good opportunity arises.

It was inevitable for Katniss to notice Thorin’s frequent absence, as catching a quick glance of him became a rarity. She was missing his presence so much that she could not help but ask Balin and Dwalin about his whereabouts. They both gave her sly knowing looks and assured her that Thorin was not deliberately avoiding her, but that he was quite busy by making her some new arrows, among other things. She frowned at their dismissiveness but ended up deciding not to ask any further details about it.

A few days later, Balin informed her that they had finally managed to read Thorin’s map the previous night. 

“I’m not surprised that the reading of the map was done last night. It is an auspicious night for our people. The first night of our summer festival. It was quite a feast when we used to live at Erebor…”

Katniss smiled at the fondness that the dwarf showed as he talked about his homeland. Nostalgia. She knew that feeling too damn well.

“Did you find anything important hidden on the map?” she asked casually.

“It said that we must stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks and the setting sun with the last light of Durin’s Day will shine upon the keyhole. Which is ill news, as we now have a date where we need to be there by.”

“Oh, shouldn’t we be on our way, then? Hit the road as soon as possible?”

“Oh, my dear Lassie, that is exactly what we want to do. But Lord Elrond politely requested for us to remain here until a certain council can take place… but Thorin is rightfully determined to leave sooner than later. Mind you, do not comment on this with anybody else. Especially with the elves, as I know you have become quite fond of some of them.”

Katniss nodded in agreement. Indeed, she had bonded quite well with Milliel, and Glorfindel and her always had a nice exchange of words every time they crossed paths. But what really had gained her favours was when she received a surprise visit in her bedroom one night from Milliel and Gilraen, to find out that they had been working on remaking one of Cinna’s designs for her. 

Katniss felt extremely touched by the kindness of their gesture as she tried on their version of the perfectly matched trousers, blouse and cardigan that she once wore during her Victor’s tour. 

“I have never seen anything like it!” Gilraen complimented as she stroked the knitted cardigan that she had made and embroidered. “Like I was telling Milliel, I did not believe that this would end up looking feminine in the slightest. I mean, having all these dark colours. But somehow it does work… and it suits you.”

“I cannot thank you both enough for this… Cinna was…” but Katniss started to feel emotional, and was unable to finish her sentence.

“We are making a few others too. Just wait, in one week’s time, you will be able to see it!” Milliel informed her with a warm smile.

A few days later she was wearing that exact attire when she decided to make her way to meet her dwarrow friends. She was very surprised to find Thorin sitting down on the top of an ancient white building while smoking his pipe. He looked at the horizon, but she just knew that he had to have noticed her presence. It was not as if she was trying to be particularly stealthy after all.

This was the first time she was seeing him since she had been presented by the visions in Galadriel’s mirror. His death; this thought made her grip the staircase very tightly as if his life relied on it. The memory of their children; this thought led her to another one which made her blush, as the image of him moving his hands through her body made her almost forget to breathe.

“Good evening, my lady,” Thorin greeted Katniss with a nod, as he put down his pipe. She blushed furiously but did not look away from his flirtatious stare even though her heart was beating faster than she could remember it doing.

“Thorin,” she pronounced his name not louder than a whisper. She was craving for his presence, companionship and there were so many things she wanted to ask him - his sudden disappearance, being the main issue resting on the tip of her tongue. “You have been busy…”

“Indeed,” he agreed before he stood up and gave her a quiver full of arrows that he had made during the time he spent inside Elrond’s forge for the past two weeks. She accepted the gift and loaded her bow, eagerly to try it on. She aimed at a tree in the distance that she knew would be on her way when she walked back to Elrond’s house later that evening. Needless to say that she hit the target exactly at the spot she had aimed for. She then turned back to Thorin, who gave her a grunt of approval.

“Thank you.” She looked at him as she slid her hands through her new set of arrows. 

“My pleasure, Mizin,” he said as he restrained himself from stroking her face. “Dwalin told me you have made quite a progress with sword fighting.”

“Oh, really? I’m glad he said that to you. To me, he only tells me to improve my footwork or I will end up dead in a ditch…”

Thorin chucked.

“Dwalin can be harsh, but he means well.”

“I know… your friend is a good mentor,” she said as she stroked her new set of arrows. “How did you get my arrows weight so perfectly?”

After hearing that, he was unable to hide a cocky smug from his face.

“Kíli gave me that arrow from yours. The rest wasn’t hard…”

They started their staring contest once again. He was slowly testing the waters as he slowly walked towards her, narrowing the gap between them. She blushed furiously, but she did not back down from his magnetic presence. Instead, she moved her hand to stroke his long hair and beard, as she slowly started to make her mind around to the fact that there was nothing in the world that would keep them apart now.

That was until they heard some voices in the distance that made her immediately pull apart from that embrace. Only to realise that, besides Gandalf and Lord Elrond hastily talking on the distance, Bilbo Baggins was a few meters away from them. The hobbit gave them an embarrassed and apologetic smile, while both Thorin and Katniss frowned at him.

“...I think you can trust me enough to know what I am doing,” Gandalf politely argued with Lord Elrond in the distance.

“Do you? That dragon has slept for sixty years. What will happen if your plan should fail? If you wake the beast...”

“But what if we succeed? If the dwarves take back the mountain, our defences in the east will be strengthened.”

“It is a dangerous move, Gandalf”

“It is also dangerous to do nothing! The throne of Erebor is Thorin’s birthright! What do you fear?”

“Have you forgotten? A strain of madness runs deep in that family. His grandfather lost his mind. His father succumbed to the same sickness. Can you swear that Thorin Oakenshield will not also fall? Gandalf, these decisions do not rest with us alone! It is not up to you, or me to redraw the map of Middle Earth…”

“With or without our help, these dwarves will march on the mountain. They are determined to reclaim their homeland. I do not believe Thorin Oakenshield feels that he’s answerable to anyone. Nor, for that matter, am I.” 

Thorin, Katniss and Bilbo watched that conversation between Gandalf and Elrond fade away in the distance. Thorin remained looking lost at the horizon, and Katniss looked at him feeling helpless. Both Katniss and Thorin ignored the hobbit when he excused himself and decided to carry on his walk and leave the duo alone once again.

“Thorin…” she started feeling a bit concerned on how this whole conversation might have affected him. “What was Lord Elrond talking about? Strain of madness?” 

He took a deep breath before he could find enough strength to look her in the eyes.

“Gold sickness. It is greed beyond the acceptable; violence that emerges from a sense of ruthless entitlement... not only for gold and jewels, but for people as well. It set my Grandfather mad, and my father after him,” he finished bending his head down to avoid seeing her reaction.

However, instead of running away after such revelation she got closer and closer, and forced him to look back at her by lifting his head with her small hands.

“I won’t let you fall for that, did you hear? Not under my watch. And if you do, I promise I will beat some sense straight back to your thick mind!”

His eyes softened to the sight of Katniss so fiercely determined to protect him from his family fate. But even though her face was centimetres apart from his own, he was still caught by surprise by the feeling of her lips clashing upon his own already needy and fiercely. This unexpected, but surely more than welcome gesture, set his body on fire, making him immediately close his eyes and get a better grip of her hips and hair. He had waited for this moment for so long, dreaming, imagining how her lips and body would taste and feel like when pressed so closely against his, and still, the reality seemed much better than his expectations. Her tongue danced inside his mouth full of passion, committed to making him feel assured of her help. 

Thorin knew that the moment she had chosen to show her affection for him was ill-timed, as he should probably be ordering the others to pack and leave Rivendell while the White Council was taking place, as Gandalf had instructed him to do. But he had longed for that moment for so long, that it was impossible for him to think straight. 

In the end, it was Katniss who broke the contact and moved away from him.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have…” she whispered as she slowly moved away from him. But he stopped her half-way and brought her back into his embrace.

“You should,” he urged as he slowly started stroking her cheeks and hair. “You should, Amrâlimê; unless… did you not want this…?”

“No! I wanted, just… you know that I am complicated... and messed up…” she said as she looked away from him. 

How could she tell him that she was still trying to figure out her feelings for Peeta and Gale…? The blow on her spirits that had come by witnessing his death inside Galadriel’s mirror? But Thorin was oblivious to the swirl of emotions that were overwhelming her at that moment.

“I think you are perfect. Perfect for me…” 

He said that placing a loose strand of hair behind her ear, as he wondered if she would allow him to braid her hair again, once they set camp far away from that elven realm. Slowly, he brought her back to his lips, this time taking the charge of the pace they were in. Instead of the hastiness of her previous kiss, he set the mood slowly, savouring every single second of this proximity. Making her feel the extent of his love by the softness of his caring touch. 

Unfortunately, he knew that they would have to stop soon if he wished to depart from Rivendell unnoticed. So he broke the kiss, and admired her flushed face, knowing that he had been the reason behind her accelerated heartbeat. Passed a few moments when they were both a bit more recomposed, he decided to address the issue of having to leave Rivendell with her.

“Amrâlimê, I wish we could carry on, but my duty demands me to think beyond my own desires. We must depart from Rivendell. We must do it now, while the elven Lords are distracted. Go and pack your belongings with haste and meet us back at the beginning of the mountain trail in one hour. We cannot wait any longer…”

“Right. I understand…” she nodded, and was about to start walking away from him when he stopped her, holding her arm once again.

“Make sure you do not alert any elf about our departure. Try to be as discreet as possible when leaving your room…”

“Oh… but how can I possibly depart without saying goodbye to Milliel, Thorin? She has been nothing but kind with me since I arrived here…”

“I’m sure she will quickly get over it…” he grumbled impatiently, but she was not having it.

“She has Cinna’s old sketches under her care. I will not leave Rivendell without it!”

“Sketches? I’m sure we can ask Ori to re-do whatever it is for you…”

“Thorin! They were made by my friend who died to keep me alive! You can’t be seriously thinking that it could be easily replaced like that…”

“We cannot alert the elves! They are sure to prevent our departure if they learn that we are leaving…”

“I can’t leave Cinna’s sketches behind. They are important to me!”

“You shouldn’t have lent your things to an elf!” he growled full of anger. “Now you will have to trust that she will look after it until we can get it back…”

“This is very unfair and unreasonable!” she denounced, also altering her voice tone. “If I want to speak with my friends before we leave, I will do it, and I would like to see you try and stop me!”

“You will not jeopardize our departure because of a silly whim!” he demanded. “Come here,” he said, grabbing her arm with a bit more strength than needed and started to walk her back to the house that his company was currently living in.

“What are you doing? Where are you taking me?” she complained as he started dragging her around.

But Thorin did not answer her. He felt a pang on his heart as he carried on dragging her around for a few minutes. He knew that he was not doing the right thing with her. He knew that he would have to apologise and make up for his behaviour, but he felt like his actions were justified, as he did not want her to prevent them to leave. On her turn, Katniss did not go quietly without a fight. Many times she attempted to escape from his grasp, but she was just not as versed in body combat as he was, and also not as strong. Later, he would have to ask Dwalin to fix that, but right now, it felt like a blessing. Soon, he was carrying her immobilized body on his shoulders, and while she was biting him in retaliation, making him bleed, he tried to convince himself that was the only way to avoid her elven maid to be informed about their departure.

As soon as he arrived back at the house where his company was staying, everyone immediately looked shocked at him, who tried his best to ignore their condemning glares.

“Nori! Go to Miss Everdeen’s room and pack up her things without alerting anyone. Get Bilbo to do the same and meet us at the mountain trail in fifty minutes. Dwalin, Kíli, Fíli; look after Katniss for me; ensure she doesn’t escape! Everyone else, pack quickly. We will be leaving this place in forty-five minutes”

“Do you think this is really necessary, Thorin?” Balin asked with a frown at the way he was handling the female member of their company.

“She was being unreasonable; she wanted to alert the elves about our departure…” 

Hearing that, made the majority of dwarves who were giving him a nasty glare to frown at Katniss instead.

“This is betrayal, Lass!” 

“Oh, for heaven's sake, Thorin! I just wanted to get my things back!”

“And you will! Once we recover Erebor, you shall have anything you want, Mizin…”

“Do. Not. Call. Me. That!” she spat in rage as she tried to get free from Dwalin’s and Kíli’s tight hold of her body.

  
Thorin sighed. Nobody would believe that she had finally opened up to him after that. Yes, he was going to have a great deal of making up to do once they left the Hidden Valley. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please reviews? They really really help me :)


	15. Chapter 15: The thin line between love and hate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An earlier than usual chapter to make up for the three weeks waiting last time :)
> 
> Thank you so much for the reviews, kudos and bookmarks. They keep me going!

In order to avoid alerting the elves of their departure, Thorin ended up deciding to leave the majority of their ponies behind. Katniss did not accept their departure quietly, and with a heavy heart, Thorin saw himself giving her some sleeping syrup so they would avoid calling unwanted attention. He ordered the dwarrow to tie the unconscious girl on top of one of the ponies, and this allowed them to leave the elven realm without causing a fuss. They marched for long hours non-stop, until Thorin deemed they were far away enough for them to make camp and rest.

While his men set the camp, Thorin took the responsibility of removing her from the pony and placing her on her own sleeping mat. He knew that the sleeping syrup would stop working at any time now, and that Katniss was sure to be livid once she realised what he had done. He decided to leave her untied, with her hidden daggers on her possession, but he wisely chose to keep her bow and quiver far away from her reach. If she decided to use physical violence against him, he felt confident that he would easily be able to restrain her.

So he made himself comfortable, got hold of his smoking pipe and patiently waited until she came back to the world of the living. 

It was a few minutes before supper when she finally opened her eyes to find his concerned ones just above her. Despite the soreness on her body, she made a point to sit up as quickly as she could.

“ _ You! _ ” she spat angrily at him, making the rest of the company who were waiting for dinner around the fire, turn their attention to observe them. “Who do you think you are? Who do you think you are to kidnap me like this!”

She shouted as she tried to ignore the throbbing pain she was feeling inside her head. She knew it had to be some side-effect to whatever drug Oakenshield had decided to use on her, and could only hope that it would go away soon.

“I’m sorry, Mizin.”

“Don’t call me that!”

“...I know I had no right.”

“You bloody well didn’t!”

“But I could not allow you to alert our enemy from our departure…”

“Those elves were  _ not _ your enemy…”

“You know nothing about the hardship elves have bestowed upon my people…”

“What I know is that they fed us, sheltered us, and even aided us against the orcs that were after us… that sounds hardly a thing an enemy would do...”

“Erebor set in flames by the dragon Smaug; what help came from the elves? None. My people were perishing, homeless, famished, wounded, and what sort of aid did they provide?  _ None _ .” 

“This is very hard to believe…” Katniss’ determination in hating and fighting against everything he said almost crumbled at that revelation. Could those fair and ethereal creatures, that seemed unable to do any act of evil, really have denied them aid in such a horrible situation? 

“The elves did not keep their promises; they lacked any honour…”

“Yes, because you were  _ so honourable _ by kidnapping me the way you did!”

Thorin growled at her words, because he knew that she was right. He should have tried to use reasonable arguments to convince her to leave her things at Rivendell, not to forcefully make her leave against her will.

“I already said that I am sorry and very much ashamed by my actions.”

“As you should be!”

“Are you not going to accept my apologies?” 

“Why should I? Your behaviour disgusts me.”

“Thorin, I think you should leave her alone. Miss Katniss clearly doesn’t want your company right now…” Bilbo Baggins told him, as he approached the place where she was seating, carrying bowls of stew with him. Thorin gave a short nod to the hobbit and left them without saying anything else.

Katniss silently accepted her stew and whispered him a thank you. At that moment, she saw herself planning to leave the company as soon as her headache faded away. She could barely believe that only a few hours ago, she had been freely kissing her captor! 

However, the worse thing was that the mere memory of the two kisses they had shared made her heartbeat increase and her cheeks to flush. She had to be out of her mind. How could she still be feeling attracted by that brute, obnoxious, mad dwarf? Was she as mad as him?

“I’m sorry, Miss Katniss, I had no idea Thorin had removed you from Rivendell against your will. You were already unconscious when I saw you; and well… considering how well you and Thorin were doing when I last saw you…” the hobbit blushed as he said this last part, “I assumed you were ill, or something…”

“That’s okay, Bilbo. Thorin’s actions are not your fault…”

“If I knew, I would’ve refused to leave with them as well…”

“I am planning to leave this company for good, by dawn. You are welcome to join me if you want, little burglar…” she made a point not to lower her voice as she said that, and many members of the company threw her a pained look. 

“Then I shall go with you, Miss Katniss. You are more than welcome to stay with me at Bag End…” he invited her with a warm smile.

Thorin stood up and left the group to smoke his pipe in the distance, while some of his men threw him disapproving looks. 

A few minutes after they had finished eating their food, Balin and Dwalin approached her, asking to have a quick word with her. Even though she was quite tempted to deny them an audience, she ended up agreeing to hear whatever excuses they had made for Thorin’s poor behaviour. She did that more out of respect for Balin, who she was very fond of, and Dwalin, who she learned to respect as a mentor.

“Lassie, I know you have every reason to be mad at us, and especially with Thorin…”

“Understatement of the fucking century!” 

“I won’t pretend that I know the details around it, but I know you have also endured the pain of losing your homeland once…”

She bit her lips feeling disheartened. That was a low blow. The memory of the ashes that her District had become was enough to make her put her armour down, and at least listen to what both brothers had to say. Balin sensed the change in her stance and took this as his cue to carry on with their plea.

“I was nothing but a wee laddie when Smaug took over the mountain. The intense dazzling flames, the panic, the wounded and the dead. Only a few of our people were able to escape the horrible fate of being either burnt by the dragon or buried alive inside the mountain…for many years after that, we remained homeless. Despite old oaths and promises, many denied us assistance, including medicine for the wounded, clothing for those who had lost everything they had, or food for the hungry. The Woodland elves were our main ally at the time, and that was the sort of help we were denied...”

Katniss squinted her eyes and frowned her eyebrows, not really willing to believe that those kind elves from Rivendell would have been able to deny such help for those in need. 

“You mean to say that the people from Rivendell denied you aid when Erebor was taken by Smaug?”

“Not Rivendell elves, Lassie! The Woodland ones…” Dwalin corrected feeling impatient, but he quickly stopped speaking after a hand gesture from his older brother.

“The issue is, Miss Katniss,” Balin said, trying to ignore what his brother had just said. “I will not attempt to redeem Thorin’s mistakes, but I will humbly ask you to understand where this mistrust and hatred that our people harbour towards the elves comes from… many of us witnessed  _ children  _ dying from the lack of simple resources that the elves could’ve easily provided our suffering people with.”

Katniss bit her lip again. She had no way to know if their version of the facts was, in fact, accurate, but she could surely understand the frustration of being denied simple resources, as that had been the modus operandis of the Capitol after all. Still, that did not justify Thorin’s behaviour.

As if he was able to read the conflict inside her mind, Balin was quick to add, “I am not saying this for you to forget or forgive him, Miss Katniss. I am telling you this in the hopes that you will reconsider your choice to abandon our quest tomorrow morning…”

“Why? Why would you want me to stay?” 

“Because… you have proven to be a valuable asset to our company. The wizard believes that it was more than mere coincidence that brought you to our path, and he also insists that we need the hobbit to succeed in our mission.” 

She sighed. After the images she had witnessed at Galadriel’s mirror, she knew that his words were likely to hold a deeper meaning than he would ever know.

“Please help us to get our homeland back, Lassie. We need ya.  _ He  _ needs ya,” Dwalin added, making her raise an eyebrow to his last comment.

“I will stay,” she said after a few seconds, making both brothers release their breaths at once. “Under  _ one  _ condition,” that made two dwarrow tense again. “If you see Thorin treating me unfairly, or anyone else for that matter, you  _ will  _ stand up against it, have I made myself clear?”

That made them both raise their eyebrows in shock. 

“Ya ask us to rebel against our King, Lassie? You are asking us to commit an act of treason!”

“I ask you to rebel against injustice. If you can’t give me your word on this, I will leave you all after dawn.”

Balin and Dwalin exchanged meaningful glances before they both nodded and Balin smiled at her.

“Right, we have an agreement, then. Though I hope that Thorin will learn his lesson and we will never have to come to this…”

Katniss nodded, and she was about to turn her back to them when Dwalin quickly stated.

“Lass, I hae known Thorin since we were wee bairns. I hae never seen heem apologise tae anyone before… not even tae his faither,” Dwalin added, making Balin slap his own face in frustration.

That made her frown.

“I hope that you are not suggesting that I should feel flattered because his  _ royal grace _ blessed me with his more than needed apologies, Dwalin,”

And she left them before Balin had any chance to say anything else to lighten the blow.

\--------------------

Thorin spent the next couple of days trying to apologise to her using many different strategies, only to be rebuffed at every single attempt. 

The only thing they still seemed to share every now and then, was their glaring contest. And even though she would never admit to anyone, these glaring contests set her heart on flames. Everything she could think about when his gorgeous blue eyes met her grey ones, was the memory of Thorin’s experienced fingers braiding her hair on that rainy day, inside the cave, and the kisses they had shared - both in real life and at Galadriel’s mirror. And before she could even think about controlling herself, her cheeks were red, and she saw herself in deep need of a cold bath. Thorin seemed to notice the wanton desire that was transpiring through her body; he always gave her a cocky smile when he caught her off guard like that. How dare him! And how she  _ hated  _ him for making her feel that way!

Even though Kíli and Fíli had helped Thorin restrain her at Rivendell, Katniss soon figured out that she just did not have it in her to be mad at the duo for very long. And soon she saw herself joining them at hunting parties and making snares together again. Every now and then though, they would make a snappy comment about how she should rush and make up with Thorin, for once and for all, because their uncle was getting way too moody. Katniss would then retaliate by giving them a murderous glare and ignoring them for the rest of the day, or until they made something silly enough to make her laugh.

One day, when they were returning from hunting, Dwalin and Thorin were having a sparring session. Katniss could not help but freeze on the spot when the vision of a shirtless Thorin Oakenshield invaded her eye-sight. His perfectly well-defined muscled arms and chest were making her heartbeat soar. 

Katniss had never stopped to consider how much muscles and hair he had hidden inside all the lawyers separating his armour and body. She had never considered if she found hairy chests attractive or not, but now she had her answer. She liked it a  _ lot _ . And now that she saw him half-dressed, all she could feel was a burning desire that clouded her mind and sent electric spasms all over her body. She wanted, desired,  _ needed  _ to feel his lips pressing, hard, against hers once again. She felt a heat coming from inside her groin, making her sweat from the inside, and coat her underwear with her own desire. She wanted to feel his hands covering and exploring her body. She wanted to feel, stroke, bite, and scratch at his hairy chest. And she wanted it  _ soon _ , because she needed it  _ now _ .

Her breathing rhythm increased; once again, she was all flushed. Thankfully, all the dwarrow men seemed to have their full attention on the clashing of swords exchanged between their leader and his best warrior. Every set of eyes were focused on them. All but one. Once he noticed her presence, Thorin could not help but throw a glance at the place she was standing. When he noticed the state she was in, he could not help but smile. That millisecond of inattention was unfortunately more than enough time to Dwalin seize the opportunity and throw him on his knees. 

Katniss left a gasp coming out of her mouth and she immediately decided to cover it in order to attempt to hide her own swirl of emotions. Taking advantage of the fact that every set of eyes were on Thorin, and nobody else seemed to give her a second glance, she ended up deciding to leave their camp and go back to their water source to recompose herself.

She cursed herself for allowing these lustful thoughts about Thorin to invade her mind. She still resented his behaviour towards her at the end of their stay in Rivendell. He had been nothing but a brute, pigheaded, arrogant, mad dwarf that she had no intention to forgive any time soon. Despite that, at the same time, her mind and body seemed determined to play tricks on her and wanted nothing but to thought of him and crave for his touch. Katniss sighed as she decided to sit down as comfortably as she could, and slid her small hand underneath her pants, eager to feel the touch of her fingers on her core and find some form of release. 

She had only done that once before, more out of curiosity than due to her own lust, after hearing some girls talking about it at school. Despite all their fuss, she had barely felt nearly as much as they had claimed she would at that time. 

But right now, she was closing her eyes as she tried to remember the scene she saw unfolding inside Galadriel’s mirror, the one which Thorin touched her there. Almost immediately, Katniss let a sigh of pleasure escape her lips. She knew she had nearly a million reasons why she should  _ not  _ be thinking about him that way. He was much older than she was, had the responsibilities of an entire kingdom upon his shoulders, and had already proven to be prone to the mental instability that he claimed to curse his family.

Still, that maddening craving she was enduring seemed to be much bigger and more powerful than any reasonable thought she had left on her twisted brain. 

She carried on exploring her core, trying on different movements and repeating those that felt nicer. She thought about the sensations she had felt when Thorin was braiding her hair, and she let another small moan escape her lips. She remembered the feeling of his growing bulge on her back, and she wished she had been bold enough to feel him with her hand at that time. She was sensing an increasing tension building up inside her. Her heart was beating fast. It was like her whole body was about to explode at any minute now. She then thought about Thorin’s bare chest. His delicious muscled-hairy chest. She wondered how hard it would be on her touch, which noises he would end up making if she stretched and bit his bare chest. And without any further warning, the accumulated tension inside her body burst into a million electric waves of pleasure running through her entire body. Her legs were wobbly and shaken, she could do nothing to restrain the noises of pleasure that were coming out her mouth. 

That sublime sensation lasted only a few seconds. Katniss closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling, wishing it had been longer, stronger, wanting to see if she would be able to do that again. However, she also knew that someone would surely come around to search for her if she did not get back to their camp soon. So, instead of succumbing to her carnal desires  _ this  _ time, she stood up and went to wash her hands as she mentally cursed a certain dwarrow King.

\------------------------

  
  


Katniss could not help but blush when her eyes met Thorin’s as she got back to their camp. He was being treated by Oin, as his friendly spar with Dwalin had apparently led to him needing some form of mending. Thorin smirked at her, almost as if he knew what she had been up to a few moments ago. That made her blush even harder and made a point to get as far away from him as she possibly could. 

However, a few minutes after she had settled down at her spot for the night, Thorin went over to the place she had chosen and placed his own mat next to hers. She looked up at him feeling affronted by his boldness.

“Even though I think that you look adorable when you are mad, don’t you think that I already endured punishment enough for my crimes, Amrâlimê?”

“I  _ trusted  _ you. I really did. You knew that, and how did you repay me? By dragging me, drugging me, and kidnapping me…” she was starting to stand up, so he did the same and held her hand - not a firm kind of grasp, but a soft and delicate one.

“I’m sorry. I know that what I did has no excuse. I acted without honour…” 

Many of his men looked shocked by his confession. Others looked at her, curiously waiting for what her answer would be. Even Katniss seemed to be taken aback by his choice of words. 

“I can’t just ignore what happened…”

“I am not asking you to do that. I am asking for a second chance. A chance to redeem myself from my previous mistake… a chance to prove that I can be someone worthy of your affection...”

She bit her lip as she tried to avoid looking at him in the eyes, but before he could restrain himself, Thorin saw his own hands moving to reach her chin and lift it up so she would have no choice but to face him.

“I know it has been as hard on you as it has been on me,” he said in a low whisper that was meant only for her ears. “Stop denying us like that…”

That made her blush again. She knew he was right, but she did not want to give him the satisfaction to yield and go back to his arms that  _ easily _ .

“I will think about it. Now, get away from my sight!” she said as she forcefully brought her arms away from his grasp.

He nodded and did her bidding. Only then did Katniss notice that the entire company was in an awkwardly mortal silence. She tried to ignore them and carried on busying herself by organising the supplies inside her shoulder bag. A few minutes later, when she tried to sneak a glance of his whereabouts, she noticed that Thorin had sought exile from the company of the others and was far away, smoking his pipe. 

\------------------------

Few days had passed, and Katniss was still avoiding Thorin’s presence despite her promise to consider his apologies. He tried to keep it to himself and did not seek her during that time. Even if she kept calling for his name during her nightmares - which she had done for the previous four nights - he provided her comfort while the episodes lasted, but did not raise the subject with her the next day. He could sense that she needed space, and he was ready to oblige.

That day, they decided to stop early, as they had crossed paths with a small lake, which was an ideal thing, considering that they were all in deep need of a wash. They set camp a bit farther from the lake, so the dwarrow men were able to bath secluded from Katniss’ sight. Thorin, Dwalin and Balin all stayed behind with her, and when confronted by Katniss about the reason they had not joined the others, Thorin just answered that the trio would go after everyone had their turn.

They all used that time to get the fire going, and even Thorin seemed to be making an effort to help out this time, instead of just staying away, bossing the others around. After what appeared to be an entire hour, Thorin asked Dwalin to fetch the others out of the lake. Soon, they started returning; most of them were still dripping water from their long hair and beards, despite being somewhat fully dressed. 

The baskets full of fishes that Dori and Nori had carried back, informed Katniss what would be on the menu for that evening. When Dwalin approached her, she was almost sure that he was about to summon her up to another sword or axe lesson, but instead, he told her to grab her belongings and to go to have her turn at the lake. However, as she started walking her way to the lake, she noticed that both Dwalin and Balin were following her from behind. This made her freeze and turned around to face them with severe stern on her face.

“Why are you following me?”

“We are supposed to guard you while you wash, Lassie…”

The frowned on her face increased as proportionally as her anger. But before she could argue with them, Thorin quickly decided to intervene and take the blow instead.

“They are doing nothing but following my orders.  _ Please _ , don’t fight over this, it is just for your safety…”

“I think I have proven to be more than capable of looking after myself, Thorin…”

“Aye. I don’t doubt your capabilities for a second, Mizin. But you are the only lass in the group. There is no one else to watch your back while you are distracted. And we are no longer in safe lands. We are too open in the wild now…”

Katniss frowned at his words, but she nodded back to him before she carried on walking to the lake with Dwalin and Balin as her silent shadows. When they arrived, both dwarves positioned themselves at different sides of the pond before they turned their backs to her. Despite their attempt to give her some privacy, she felt somehow vulnerable. Katniss had been naked in front of Cinna and Flavius before - not to mention the many doctors from the Capitol and District Thirteen that surely had seen her body exposed at some point. Still, there was a sense of uneasiness that came along with striping herself naked in front of two males, even though they had their backs turned to her.

“I just want to make it clear that if you turn around, I  _ will  _ shoot you,” she informed them just before she started removing her underwear.

“Lassie, I thought you knew us better than that. Besides, we are too fond of our beards to do such a foolish thing,” Balin informed her from a few meters away from her. “Thorin would have our hide if he dreamed we did such a thing!”

“We would only turn if yer life was at stake, Lassie…” Dwalin’s voice came from the other side of the lake. “Just don’t be stupid to shout fur nonsense things an’ ye will be fine…”

Katniss did not answer them back; instead, she just dived inside the icy cold water. Despite the brain freeze caused by the sudden change in temperature, that was an overall welcoming feeling. After spending an entire day walking non-stop, some coolness and a nice clean was everything she could have wished for. The fishes swimming around her legs reminded of her own lake at District Twelve. She thought with fondness of the many times she had swum on that lake with her sister and deceased father. 

However, having people standing there just waiting for her to finish made her enjoy the moment much less than she would have done otherwise. So, she tried her best to wash her body and spare clothes the quickest she could. Once her bath was over, she was drying herself with a towel that Nori had snatched for her from Elrond’s house, when she decided to ask them a question that was burning inside her mind.

“Why would Thorin have your hide if you were to spy on me?” 

“Are ye really that daft?” Dwalin asked, feeling genuinely astonished by the innocence of her question. “Can’t ye see the lad is head over hills for ye?” 

“Lassie, don’t mind my brother’s choice of words… but feel assured that regardless of what you might infer from his previous actions, Thorin carries for you deeply.”

Katniss was suddenly glad that both dwarrowmen still had their faces turned away from her, so they could not see how flushed she was by that revelation. So she decided to use that opportunity to ask something else as she tied her boots’ laces.

“While in Rivendell… I’ve heard Elrond and Gandalf talking about his father’s and grandfather’s madness…” She noticed both dwarves tensing their body posture at the mention of the madness that had cursed Thorin’s ancestors. “... do you think that there is any chance that Thorin could fall to the same path as they did?”

“Thorin is strong. He won’t succumb to it,” Dwalin bluntly stated.

“Thorin has always been a very noble and honourable leader. He always looked after his people the best way he possibly could. We trust that he will have enough strength to fight against it, if he ever falls ill from gold-sickness, Lassie…”

“His actions with me in Rivendell wasn’t that noble, was it?” she told them, “Right, I am decent. You both can turn around now…”

They did not address her concern about Thorin’s lack of chivalry with her while they walked back to the camp, though Katniss thought that they did look slightly embarrassed. 

  
  


\------------------------

All the company members were at the campsite, enjoying the fresh fish they had gathered earlier. Katniss was sitting next to Bilbo and the Ur family, who were keeping them entertained with some unbelievable fishing stories of their own. That was until Bofur decided to change the subject.

“Lassie, I don’t know if you will remember, but last night while you were having another nightmare…” Bofur started and ended up catching the attention of the other members of the company, because they all either had witnessed, or already knew that she had been calling for their leader during her nightmares. Even Thorin, who was still wet, as he had just returned from the lake with Balin and Dwalin, gave a severe, stern frown at the toymaker, which clearly sent a message for him to mind well his next choice of words. 

Katniss let a small sigh of surprise escape her lips, as she did not recall having any nightmare at all. 

“You mentioned something about getting away from careers… what are careers?” Bofur finished his sentence, leaving a considerable silence behind.

Katniss looked from him to the others and sighed. Bilbo, who was the only one that, besides Thorin, knew about her story, gave her a gentle pat on her shoulders. That both comforted and encouraged her to utter the words that she knew it was about time for her to say.

“Right. I think it is time for me to tell you all about the Hunger Games…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what are your thoughts about this chapter? 
> 
> Do you think her reaction was proportional to Thorin's actions?
> 
> Please, as always comment, like and subscribe! ;D


	16. Chapter 16: Ones

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am terribly sorry for the delay in posting this. Finally out!  
> I've got the original Valley Song from the Ballad of songbirds and snakes. I loved the easter eggs of that book!
> 
> I loved all your lovely reviews, and kudos and bookmarks so much! You have no idea how it brights my heart receiving each one of them - specially if I am at work. Damn, it does make it almost bareble...

Telling her story again but this time for the entire company was not an easy feat. Even though she now knew the company quite well, the Games remained a painful subject that she would rather avoid. The dwarves seemed to sense the size of her sorrow before she had even started her tale, and even Fíli and Kíli decided to give the necessary space to let her be. However, it was the occasional comforting tap on her shoulders provided by Bilbo, and Thorin’s warm looks whenever he knew there was a particularly painful moment coming on her narrative, that made it bearable for her to go through it.

Katniss did not want the moment to linger more than necessary, so she skipped quite a few details she had previously shared with both Thorin and Bilbo. But she did go over the revolting dynamic between the Capitol and the districts; President Snow’s sickening methods to maintain his power; and provided them all with a good summary of all the pain and drama she had been forced to go through. 

Overall, after one hour or so, they got the idea of the hell it had been for her; to be forced inside an arena to kill other children in order to survive. If anything, the dwarrow men looked horrified by her narrative, and the perspective of that apocalyptic future would come true one day. 

“So the Capitol just grabs people’s children’s, sends them to slaughter, and nobody does anything about it?” Oin frowned at her with displeasure and rage.

“What could we do?” she spat back with anger, feeling like it was her duty to defend her people “That is just another sickening way for them to showcase their power; keep us fighting among ourselves and make us forget who the real enemy is.”

“And yer folks just accept tha’ without a fight?” Dwalin asked gobsmacked. 

“Again, what _could_ we do? What could _anyone_ do? Fighting against the Capitol is like going to war armed with pebbles and sticks against an army equipped with the finest axes and swords,” she said, full of outrage for whoever dared to say they did have a choice on the matter. “This is a battle that you could never win…”

Dwalin was about to add some extra pieces of his mind, but he was quickly silenced by his brother with a stern. 

However, it seemed that it was the mention of all the _‘star crossed lovers’_ drama that had been created by Peeta and promoted by the Capitol, which shocked them more than anything else she had told them so far. Though Thorin seemed to be quick enough to silence their comments, Katniss could swear that she had witnessed Nori and Fíli exchanging signs in Iglishmêk just after they learned about that new plot twist in her history.

Though they did not interrupt her, she could see that they were dying to ask her questions about it. By the time she had finished explaining the events that led her participation in the seventy-fifth Hunger Games, and how it ignited the rebellion against the Capitol and the role she and Peeta ended up played on it, it was already past everybody’s bedtime. 

Thorin could sense her relief of finishing her tale, and how mentally affected she was after sharing it with everybody else at once, so he was quick to order everyone to bed, as he stood up and sat aside from the group next to Fíli, as they were supposed to take the first watch together that night. 

Katniss mentally thanked him for that as she tucked herself under her blanket. However, after watching dwarf after dwarf falling asleep, and being unable to do the same herself, she felt enormous frustration. Nonetheless, Katniss honestly believed that the dwarves’ loud snores were only part of the issue behind her insomnia, as the images of her own narrative were still haunting her. 

Unable to pretend any longer, she stood up and headed to the place where Thorin and his older nephew were sitting, and now, giving her an intrigued glance. As she walked, Katniss silently cursed herself for not remembering that Thorin was on patrol that evening. Even though Thorin was the one who was looking at her more intensely, it was Fíli who first addressed the only female from their group.

“Are you having trouble staying asleep, Lady Katniss?”

“I still haven’t slept at all, Fíli.”

“Uncle, I don’t mind swapping my patrol with her, you know how I am struggling to stay awake tonight anyway…”

“This would not be fair, Fíli! You’ve already done quite a bit of this patrol…”

“It would be fair if you stay longer than Uncle… you can still do a full patrol, so when it’s my turn again, it should even out.”

That was an argument she could not rebut. Apparently, neither could Thorin, as he turned at her inquisitive instead of giving Fíli a straight answer. 

“What?” Katniss asked as she was still unsure about what he meant by that look.

“What is your decision on the matter?” Thorin asked without removing his intense gaze from her eyes.

She frowned, as she remained confused.

“What do you mean, my decision?” 

“I’d not dream to assume that my presence is welcomed…” 

An undeniable hint of pain was displayed in his semblance. Katniss sighed as she finally understood that he was merely giving her a way out from patrolling alone with him. While it felt a bit awkward being the one to make such a decision which would have usually befallen on him, she was glad that he offered her the choice.

“Your presence is not fully welcomed yet, but I am pretty confident that I can handle you…”

Thorin solemnly nodded before he exchanged a sign in Iglishmêk with Fíli. Only then he turned his back to them, as he tried to find a spot to sit down, far away from Katniss.

“My Lady,” Fíli said with a small reverence to her. He then quickly went back to his own spot at their campsite and tuck himself under his blanket.

Katniss observed jealousy as the young Crown Prince snored away in less than five minutes after that. 

She sighed frustrated and then looked at Thorin, who remained the alert same sentinel he always was, looking ahead on the horizon. She bit her lips, full of desire. Her body and mind were begging for her to make amends with him. However, deep inside, she was not even sure if she was going to be able to trust him again, after the way he had drugged her in order to drag her away from Rivendell. That was a betrayal. An unforgivable action in her moral book. 

Despite that, it felt like her feelings for him were doing nothing but growing stronger and deeper, despite all her attempts to ignore them. It was like she could feel her own abstinence doing nothing but feeding a monster inside her chest, turning her head upside down, in spite of her best judgment. That feeling was much bigger than anything she had felt from either Peeta or Gale, and that by itself made her mind burn. Meanwhile, as she questioned her own sanity, her heart pounded in anticipation for the next time she would be forced to spend some time alone with him. And even if she would do nothing but publicly deny that, she longed for his presence and missed him dearly.

Perhaps it was these feelings and her clouded mind which made her legs take her to the place he was standing, a bit far away from where she was now. Alert as he was in his surroundings, he obviously noticed that she was approaching even before he turned his head to look her in the eyes. His own body stiffed in anticipation for whatever it was that had made her change her mind and seek his company. He was determined not to destroy his chances with her this time. 

Thorin looked at her, patiently waiting for her to make the first move and set the tone of that encounter. However, Katniss did not seem inclined to make any verbal contact with him. Instead, she decided to challenge him for another session of their glaring contexts, which on its own was being more than enough to set his heart on fire. 

“Katniss…” He did not resist breaking that silence, as his curiosity to learn what had led her there was clouding his senses.

“Thorin…” He just answered with a smirk, fully aware of the impact her mere _presence_ seemed to be having on him. He had to use all his self-control not to kiss those sassy lips now and then. Instead, he gave her a polite nod before addressing the question that had been eating him alive.

“What do I owe the pleasure of your unexpected visit?”

She did not answer him immediately, mostly because she still remained unsure of why she had decided to seek his company in the first place.

“I don’t know…” she honestly replied, but he still held a questioning look, “I think… maybe... I didn’t want to stay alone.”

His gaze intensified with her confession. 

“You were very brave tonight. Telling your story to the company.”

“Thanks, but I think it was about time,” she said, breaking eye contact with him. “I’ve been delaying this moment for a while now. I have been hanging around them for a while, and they still had no idea of who I am.”

“I think they knew you well enough.” He refrained himself from holding her hand by grabbing the hilt of his sword instead. She gave him a funny look at this sudden gesture, but she otherwise ignored it. Following her lead on this, he decided to also ignore his own blunder, and instead, he said:

“They were all aware of your golden heart; they all knew that you’re a fiercely brave warrior from a distant future. They were all aware that you had a troubled past, if your many nightmares were anything to judge it by. Though now, they surely know these details with more accuracy than they had beforehand.”

“I’m glad you did not allow them to dwell much on it and sent them to bed as soon as I finished it.”

“I think I know you well enough by now to know when you had enough of it, Mizin.”

Katniss could feel her face burn. How she had missed hearing him calling her that, and the other names he used to call her. Even though she had no idea what it all meant, it made her feel special somehow. For a small moment, it was almost as if everything had returned back to normal between them. Katniss had to force herself to remember that she was still supposed to be angry at him.

“Then you should know that you are pushing your luck,” she said, forcing a frown on her eyebrows. “I have asked you enough times by now for you to stop calling me that.”

Her comment hit him like an icy bucket on his head. Having her so near, and yet so distant, was putting him under a new form of torture that he did not even know it existed until that moment. Once again, he cursed himself for his horrible decision of not allowing her to retrieve her book, and taking her out Rivendell without her consent. If only he knew how hard it would be to earn back her trust, he would surely have done things in a very different way.

“Mahma'lâji Mahal!” he huffed angrily to the horizon, making Katniss open her eyes widely in shock with his sudden outburst. As if realizing what his actions might have looked like from her perspective, he quickly changed his tone for a more apologetic one. “I’m sorry. My actions have brought shame on my people. I should have known better than to break your trust like this…” 

He said that last bit avoiding to look her in the eyes, which caught her off-guard, as this was an uncharacteristic move for him to make, such a proud, stubborn dwarf he was. 

“The only person you have embarrassed was yourself. But the ones you have truly hurt were you and me,” she said with a sigh. Hearing that phrase made him raise his head up high, with a mixture of sorrow and hope in his eyes. Could it be possible that she still held feelings for him despite everything he had done?

“I don’t know if there is anything that can be done for me to redeem myself from my mistake. The only thing I can think of is to carry on spending the rest of my life trying to be worthy of your forgiveness.”

“You say that but you don’t really mean it…” she challenged him with fire in her eyes.

“Are you telling me that my word is untrue?” He tried with the best of his abilities to remain calm.

“I’m telling you that if we were back at Rivendell, you would not think twice before doing what you did again.”

“That is not true!”

“Oh, isn’t it? Perhaps not. But you’d only do it differently because you didn’t like my reaction. Not because you see anything wrong with what you did!” she accused him. Thorin’s eyes were burning with rage.

“I did what I did because I couldn’t risk putting this quest on risk. You know how important it is to my people, Katniss.”

“Important enough for you to forget your principles? Or are you going to say that kidnapping me and drugging me out of Rivendell was the honourable thing to do?”

“I am not saying that what I did was right!”

“Good, because it wasn’t!” 

Bombur gave a very loud snore, making them both turn around and be suddenly aware that it was the middle of the night. They were also reminded that there were still many ears that could be hearing their conversation.

“Everything has a limit, Thorin,” Katniss lowered her voice to a whisper. “I know you want to reconquer your homeland. I would do the same to see Twelve restored, if I only had the chance. But everything has to have a limit, do you understand?”

“Aye,” he begrudgingly agreed.

“Good.” She fixed a strand of loose hair behind her ear before she talked again, “The elves from Rivendell have been nothing but helpful. I won’t pretend that I understand the reasons why you hate them so much.” Thorin was about to protest, but she quickly silenced him by placing her fingers on his lips, and he decided to let her have her way. “But you are a fool for judging an entire race for the action of some of their people…”

“You are right, you do not understand my reasons, but I assure you, they are more than justified!” he hissed, raising the noise of their conversation once again.

“Is that so?” she asked, not backing down from his stare. “Just look at who you are talking to. I had every single reason to hate and despise anyone from the Capitol, didn’t I? Now… look at me. Cinna, my friend. He had all the reasons in the world to stay away from the revolution, and yet he gave his life for the cause.”

“The good deed of one does not redeem the evils of many,” Thorin said still frowning his eyebrow.

“Well, he was not the only one, was he? There were also many spies from the Capitol who aided us in the end. And there were others, like my prep team, who had some pretty distorted views of the world. But I knew that it was not their fault. It was the way they had been raised.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. They were raised on ignorance. Believing that they were somehow superior. That at least, until they started to see me and Peeta more as a person with feelings, and less of a tribute to be used and disposed of later…”

“They were still barbaric nonetheless…”

“My point is, you cannot carry on placing everyone on the same book, Thorin. Start judging people for their own actions, not for their race, or their ancestors.”

He stepped back and looked deep inside her eyes. She was right. And probably had a higher moral compass than he would ever have. If there was anyone who knew exactly what felt like to have all these reasons for hating a whole people, it was her. And still, she found in her heart the strength to forgive. His admiration for her grew even higher, even though he still could not find it in his heart to absolve the elves from their mistakes.

“You are wise beyond your years, Amrâlimê. Wiser than this old fool, for sure. You would be a great Queen for my people…” Thorin said that as he decided to take hold of her hand in a daring move. That made her blush furiously, and he couldn’t help the smug smile that pooped on his face, which made her even more embarrassed. 

Before she could allow herself to fall into his arms again, she turned around and started walking away from him. However, she rushed to look back at her shoulders as she heard his voice calling her name.

“Katniss, I promise on my honour that when the mountain is reclaimed, I am going to do everything in my power to bring that book back to your hands.”

She gave him a timid smile before she carried on walking away. He smiled back even though she could not see him doing that. _Perhaps, not everything is lost_ , he thought before he lighted his pipe.

* * *

“Two silvers that she is going to kiss him tonight…” Kíli told the others with a silly smile on his face.

“Don’t be stupid, Kee. Just because she decided that she is now talking again to him, it doesn’t mean that she will kiss him tonight,” Fíli answered his brother as they all watched Katniss and their Uncle interacting from the distance. She was laughing at something that Thorin had said, as she carried on fiddling with her unbraided long dark curls. 

“I accept the bet, but I will be betting four silvers that she will kiss him only after the moon changes…” Bofur told Kíli, ignoring Fíli’s warnings.

“You mean they will kiss the day the moon changes or any day after that?” Oin asked him, frowning his eyebrows.

“Anytime after, off course!” Bofur informed him, feeling all smug. All the others shook their heads to the dark-haired dwarf, Nori even threw a small pebble towards him, who was able to dodge it and grab it without any difficulty.

“This is anytime after the next two weeks, they are clearly over the heels for each other. Who would be foolish enough to fall for that?” Gloin asked.

“Whoever believes the kiss will happen before that. I will take the bet if you give me odds of 4/1, Bofur…” Balin said with his eyes shining in mystify.

“You forget she had already had others. In plural. She told it herself last night,” Dori said with a disapproving frown.

“And Lady Katniss did not seem that excited by her previous suitors, if my perception was right…” Fíli said with a frown. 

“It doesn’t matter, does it? She did seem to have accepted the courting of two males beforehand… simultaneously! Why would it be any different with Thorin? What a-”

“Mind what you say, Dori. You might be talking about our future Queen…” Fíli said with a playful smug. “At least we know for sure that she is _his_ One! That should be enough for you to mind your words.”

At that exact time, Thorin was half-hugging Katniss from behind as he showed her how to better hold a sword in one of the many defence stance positions.

“Damn, you might be right. Look at how smitten she is looking right now. I will give you 2/1 odds, Balin, no more…”

“3/1, take it or leave it,” Balin said with a grin. “Your pick has much more chance than mine to happen…”

“By the way, they are looking at each other, I am not entirely sure of that, Balin…” Bombur said with a smug. “Supper is ready, anyway. Can someone go over there and fetch the lovebirds?” 

Kíli promptly volunteered, making quite a lot of the older dwarves to roll their eyes on his excitement at seeing Thorin finally returning to the good books of his chosen one. 

The company members agreed to a consensus to leave Katniss be, and avoid mentioning what they had learned about her past during the previous night. Only Bilbo, who she had told everything before she decided to tell the others, had cornered her before they broke camp that morning to make sure that she was doing all right. Nonetheless, despite most having changed the way they treated and looked at her, now much more as a warrior than a child, they still had many unanswered questions about her past. However, watching Thorin using that cue as an excuse to get closer to her was more than enough for them to ignore their urge of learning more about their heroine.

Kíli and Balin both gave Bofur a smug smile when Katniss decided to place her sleeping mat next to Thorin’s of her own volition that night. They both moved back discreetly away from the duo who were still to become an official couple, as they heard Thorin telling some of the stories about Erebor’s magnificence to her. She was laying down on her mat, holding her head with one hand and her elbow on the ground. Thorin was sitting down as close to her as he would dare. An infinitely more friendly attitude towards him than she had been having the previous days.

“I think we might become some coins richer tonight, Mister Balin!” the young dwarf said, looking smug.

“Do not rely on a mine that is still to be found, Kíli,” Balin said as they observed Thorin and Katniss interaction from a distance. “She was really mad with your Uncle. And she does have every right to be so. I think she will need some time to warm up again…”

“They are looking warm enough to me…” Kíli said, giving a gentle tap on Fíli’s shoulders, who was joining them from behind.

“Uncle is telling her about the time he and Frerin brought some loose goats into the armoury,” Fíli commented as he sat near them.

“That is a good one. Well, at least he is not telling her of Aunt Tas' good manners’ lessons. That wouldn’t be nearly as exciting…”

A few moments later, Katniss ended up falling asleep hearing Thorin telling her stories of his childhood in Erebor. After noticing that she had given it up for her tiredness much earlier than she usually would, Thorin stood up in a very cheerful mood to join the others.

“Hoo is yer Mizin, doin’, Thorin?” Dwalin asked with a smirk. “Have ye tamed the beast?”

Thorin glared at him but remained quiet.

“What a way to ask, brother!” Balin said, shaking his head in embarrassment. “Don’t mind him, Thorin… he has drunk more than his weekly quote.”

“Nay, he nae I can handle it!” Dwalin smiled brightened. 

“He is not gonna tell ya, is he?” Gloin said mid-laughter. “Don’tcha mind them, Lad, they do not know how it is like to have a One…”

Thorin just stared at them for a while, before he mumbled something completely unintelligible and left the group to find his usual solitude at the edge of their campsite.

* * *

  
  


_“No, no, no, Frerin! Nadad! Frerin!”_

Katniss was woken up by a nightmare that wasn’t her own for the very first time since she had joined their company. She felt her heart twist in a funny way when she was woken up by Thorin’s whispers, just alongside her. She immediately sat up and hugged his wiggling body, before she started to whisper in his ear.

“It is OK, you are safe. Thorin, please, stay with me. You are safe; this is a nightmare…only a nightmare,” she whispered as she tried to ignore the sweat on his semblance. Thorin opened his eyes wide, just to find her beside him. He felt a bit embarrassed, but he did not run away from her hug.

“You are fine. This is me. You are safe here with me…”

“Katniss…” he whispered as he buried his head in her hair.

“Yes… you are safe now, Thorin. No one can harm you now…” she whispered, as she tried to provide him with as much comfort she could give. Watching the strong and almighty dwarrow King crumble in her arms like a young boy was not something that she thought she would be witnessing that night.

“Amrâlimê, maralmizi, mizin,” he mumbled in her ear. 

“Shhh… there now, there now. You are safe. Now go back to sleep, Thorin,” she said as she guided him back to his sleeping mat. 

She could sense a couple of pairs of eyes on them, but nobody dared to interrupt her as she started stroking Thorin’s long dark hair and singing him an old song of her childhood as a lullaby. 

_Down in the valley, valley so low,_

_Late in the evening, hear the train blow._

_The train, love, hear the train blow._

_Late in the evening, hear the train blow._

They were looking at each other; she was sitting down by his side, her hand still stroking his hair. He was feeling more vulnerable than he could ever remember, but at that same time, he would rather die than to risk doing anything that would break that moment they were sharing. 

_Go build me a mansion, build it so high,_

_So I can see my true love go by._

_See him go by, love, see him go by._

_So I can see my true love go by._

Her small hands were playing with his ruler braid. The intimacy of that gesture was making him shiver. He wondered if she knew what she was doing to him. He was feeling tired, but he did not want to stop to look at her beautiful grey eyes.

_Go write me a letter, send it by mail._

_Bake it and stamp it to the Capitol jail._

_Capitol jail, love, to the Capitol jail._

_Bake it and stamp it to the Capitol jail._

His hands found hers, and he gave it a small squeeze. He allowed himself to close his eyes. Her voice was like a drug, one he did not want to stop listening to. Slumber was slowly approaching and claiming his tired body.

_Roses are red, love; violets are blue._

_Birds in the heavens know I love you._

_Know I love you, oh, know I love you,_

_Birds in the heavens know I love you._

He could not help but think about how much he loved her. His mizin, his young precious jewel, his ghivashel, the treasure of all treasures. He wanted her to know how much she meant to him. He needed to tell her soon. Give her the sword he had forged- his promise, his pledge. Let her know that was going to be no other but her. 

When she finished her song, Thorin was still like a rock. She bent down and placed a small kiss on his temple. She heard someone who was _not_ Thorin let out a celebration noise, making her frown and trying to find where it had come from, but she was unable to point it out. Katniss could see Balin and Bombur looking at her from the distance, and only then she remembered that they were supposed to be on patrol that evening.

Without saying anything to anyone, she stood up and went to the edge of their camp, wanting to clear out her thoughts before attempting at getting back to sleep. She removed the locket that she always carried hidden near her chest - the one Peeta had given her during the seventy-fifth Hunger Games and had the pictures of her family. 

She slowly opened and saw the faces of Prim, Gale and her mother looking up at her. She could not help but let a tear fall from her eyes. She wondered if she would ever be allowed to see them again. _Unlikely_ , she bitterly thought. 

Then Katniss remembered her visions at Galadriel’s mirror. Thorin dying at the hands of a nasty and horrible Orc. That would not happen. She would have to do anything in her power to make that horrible thing never come true. The mere idea of losing him was too much for her to bear. Though she felt that the alternative vision, the one that showed her as a mother and married to Thorin Oakenshield, was also rather daunting for her. 

Katniss was suddenly aware of footsteps approaching her from behind, but since she knew two other members of their company were also on patrol, she had no need to arm herself. So she was not surprised to find Balin standing there, carrying a small cup of some sort of herbal tea. He offered it to her, who gladly accepted the warm beverage. 

They remained in silence for a while, Katniss wondering why the old dwarf was seeking her presence, and he wondering what would be the best way to raise his concerns with her. In the end, Balin broke the silence just as they were finishing their tea.

“It was a nice thing to watch, seeing you singing to him… he did not have many people in his life that he would grant that sort of trust.”

“Despite what he did, Thorin is a good man. I don’t wish him ill…”

“Aye. That much is clear. Forgiveness is good for the soul, Lassie.” 

“As long he doesn’t make a habit out of it… you know my history now, Balin. I am not one to be trifled with.”

“I am pretty sure the laddie has learnt his lesson quite clearly, Miss Katniss,” Balin said, catching a glimpse of the half-hidden locket that was still hanging around her neck. “What a pretty piece of jewellery you have there. Is it a family heirloom?”

“Oh, no. Just a thing I forgot to mention when I was telling my story. It was a present from Peeta,” she said as she removed the locket from her neck and gave it to the old dwarf to inspect.

“Oh, was it a courting gift?” Balin said, widening his eyebrow in shock by this possible new turn of events.

“No, God! No! Just… a little something for me to remember. Here, have a look,” she said as she opened the locket, revealing the picture of her mother, sister and Gale. 

“My mother and sister… and Gale…”

“The other Laddie who pledged his heart to you…?”

“In a sense… I guess…” she sighed. She could not help but be flushed as she talked about them to the old dwarf. “In a way, it was Peeta’s blessing for me to move over after him… you know… he wanted to die in the arena so I could live.”

“And your plan was just the opposite if I remember it right…”

“Yes. How could I think of doing anything different, Balin?”

The old dwarf sighed as he observed her attentive and sharp as an eagle.

“You cared deeply for him, and for Gale, of course, as I remember well the extremes you told us that you did go through to keep him safe…”

“Yes, they were both very important to me.”

“Do you… do you think you still have feelings for them, Miss Katniss?” Balin boldly asked, almost regretting immediately after doing it.

"It doesn't really matter what I felt for them, does it? I am here now, and they are not. I was told that there is no known way to send me back, so this place is where I will need to build a new life now."

Katniss said with a bit of resentment. Balin listened to her, feeling a bit sorry for her situation, but also for his old friend.

“Lady Katniss… I am not sure if I should pry into this…”

“Into what?”

“Do you know, that in our culture, you basically just gave Thorin’s permission to pursue and try to court you when you placed that kiss on his forehead?” Balin asked her, making her cheeks turn red almost instantly.

“No… did I just do that?” she asked in shock.

“You must be aware by now about Thorin’s deep feelings for you?”

“Oh…” she answered, blushing furiously. “Yes. I have an idea…”

“And I am sorry for being so bold, but I see it as my duty to ask you. Do you return the feelings?”

“Balin!” she almost choked with the bluntness of the question. “I don’t know… I…guess I do. I am not sure,” she said in the end as she stumbled through her own words. Balin gave her a knowing look and a grand-fatherly smile. 

“Well, you are a daughter of man, so I am not sure how these things work for your race. Though Gandalf told us that you have some dwarrow ancestry, so some of it might apply to you as well.”

“What do you mean..?”

“Have you ever heard about Ones, Miss Katniss?” 

“Ones?”

“Right. I am not sure about what your feelings about Thorin are. But I can guarantee that you are his One…”

She frowned, unsure of what Balin meant by that revelation. The old dwarrow sighed as he prepared himself to have ‘ _the talk_ ’ with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, Khuzul was taken from the dwarrow scholar.
> 
> Mahma'lâji Mahal! - I bring shame upon Mahal!  
> Nadad - Brother  
> Amrâlimê, maralmizi, mizin - My love, I love you, my jewel.
> 
> Thank you so much. Sorry for the delay... and sorry about the cliff hanger. Though it is sort of a fake one, as I am not planning to cover the conversation between Katniss and Balin in details anyway. You will surely see the outcome though. I promise that the next chapter will be out quicker.


	17. Chapter 17: The begining of the storm

For the first time ever, Thorin was not one of the first dwarves to wake up. That was the reason why it had been Fíli who gave the orders for the breakfast to be made that morning, a task that exclusively befell the leader of their company. The young prince gave a sly grin to his Uncle, who was still sleeping like a rock despite the low noises made by the other members of the company.

Katniss, on the other hand, had barely managed to close her eyes that night. Her mind would not stop worrying about what Balin had told her about 'Ones'. Balin's revelation of what was a One, and that Thorin's heart had already decided that she was his One, made her feel all sorts of mixed feelings.

For someone like Katniss, who had pretty much been averse to the idea of truly committing to a relationship that would lead to marriage and having children, that perspective was quite a daunting notion. Truth be said, she knew that she was most certainly not indifferent toward the dwarrow king. However, that added to what she had witnessed at Galadriel's mirror and left her feeling almost as if she no longer had a choice. And if she was already a bit unsure about what her feelings for Peeta and Gale before finding out about 'Ones' were, now it was almost like her future had already been decided for her. That is why she felt so trapped.

Truth be told, Balin did not know about Katniss's fears surrounding forming a long term bond, otherwise, the old dwarf would probably have kept it to himself in that regard. One thing that Katniss knew though, was that these fears were nothing but the fruit of years of witnessing the despair that families in Twelve were forced to go through via the reaping. Almost losing her sister for the Games was bad enough. She could not even fathom what would be like having to live with the fear of having the name of her own children inside that bowl every single year. Especially considering that she would not be allowed to volunteer for them. That fear was real, and it was more than enough for her to never allow herself to even consider the possibility of having a family of her own. But the Games did not exist there, at least not yet. Thus, that fear now seemed to be almost pointless.

Though, was it really? Looking at Thorin's ancestors' premature demise showed that even though Hunger Games was not a thing yet, Middle-Earth was far from being all roses. Orcs, trolls, wars, battles, and dragons. Not really the safest of the environments to raise a family.

Was it possible that she would see that future she saw at Galadriel's mirror come true? Did she _want_ that to come true? What were her feelings for Thorin? What were her feelings for Peeta and Gale? All these questions and more seemed to make her head spin in a not very nice way.

She sighed in frustration as she witnessed the group of merry dwarves whispering and signing in their own language amongst them. She frowned as she saw Bofur giving some gold to Balin and Kíli, who were looking extremely smug. She then yawned. Her eyes were feeling heavy from her tiredness and she had no idea how she was going to cope with the day ahead of her.

She looked away from them to find that Thorin was no longer sleeping, as she could no longer see him or his mat on the floor. She looked around until she finally spotted their leader loading something on one of the few ponies he had dared to bring along on that second part of their journey. He looked younger than ever as he laughed at something that Dwalin had just said to him. Dwalin was quick to spot her staring at them, and gave her a smug look as he called Thorin's attention to her direction. She could not help the blush that came to her face as he looked at her. She carried on looking at him as he approached her with a gleam of desire in his eyes and a jovial smile on his face. However, as soon as he grew closer, his smile faded away, giving place to an expression of worry instead.

"You are tired," he stated, leaving no room for denial.

"Just a little bit," she tried to brush off his concern. "Don't worry, I will be fine."

He looked at her unsure while he scratched his beard.

"We will make camp earlier tonight."

"You don't need to worry about me. I am well enough to keep up with the others."

"Let me be the judge of that, Amrâlimê," he said, touching her face with the caution that one would approach a wild animal. She did not flee from his touch, but it was clear that she was feeling tense by their sudden proximity. "I am sorry for waking you up last night…"

"That's ok. That wasn't your fault…" she said, raising her own hand to remove his own hand from her face and ease her own self-consciousness. Despite that, she kept holding his hand, not letting it go away from hers. "We should get going. We have lingered here for far too long."

He nodded in agreement and shouted something in his language to his men, who immediately started moving.

"You," he said, giving a gentle squeeze to her hand, "ride the pony,"

"Why?" she frowned.

"You are tired," he told her again. Before she could even have a chance to voice her disagreement, he rushed to press his fingers on her lips and say, "Please, Mizin, I know you are more than capable of keeping up with the others. Just do this to ease my heart."

She eased her frown slightly as his fingers let go of her lips. He looked at her intensely, waiting for an answer. She considered him for a moment before she nodded in acceptance and walked towards the pony whose load was the lightest. Thorin smiled again before he turned around to hurry up his men in Khuzdul.

* * *

"I can't believe that I missed that!" Kíli grinned from one ear to the other as he secretly gave Katniss a sly look that she did not notice. "You should have woken me up!"

"That would have ended the moment they were having, your moron!"

"Oh, yeah, I did not think about that,"

"Why am I not surprised?" Balin said, shaking his head from one side to the other.

"But I can tell you that she kissed him on the forehead and everything! Did I mention that the song she sang had an 'I love you', in the end?" Fíli declared, feeling as excited as his younger brother was.

"You better pay up Bofur! I told you she would kiss him last night!"

Feeling a little bit begrudging, Bofur threw a small sack of coins to Kíli and Balin.

"How long do you think it will take for him to give the sword to her?" Ori asked.

"I reckon he will do it as soon as he gets a chance…" Balin grinned.

"We are going to have an aunty, Fee! Wait until mother hears about it. He will never live it down," Kíli said with a goofy childish smile.

They had already started making bets on when Thorin was going to give her the sword he had crafted when Dwalin joined them with a big smile on his face. All the dwarrow men had their heads turned to Katniss and Thorin, who were having a whispered conversation a little bit further away from the group. They were all going wild on the wagers when Thorin shouted that they should hurry up because they were going to be leaving in two minutes. A few sighs of protest were released from some of the members of their group, but they started to pack up nonetheless.

As they reached the bottom of the edge of the Misty Mountains, the weather had suddenly become very gloomy. The steep right passage to the mountain, the one Gandalf had urged him to take if the wizard had not caught up with them by that point, did not seem to be made for the ponies. Thorin knew that he had to let them go loose and pray they would find a good home. Katniss frowned at that decision, as she secretly thought the ponies could probably make it into a fine meal for the company. But again, she knew that they had never experienced hunger to the same extent she had.

The sky was dark even though it was not even half past twelve. Thorin knew that despite the sudden shadowy dismay, it had to be early still. He wanted to carry on and push the group to climb at least a little bit, hoping to find a good cave for them to spend the evening, in case of a storm. But then he remembered how tired Katniss had been feeling not too long ago, and was considering if it would be best for her to remain there in the open despite that awful weather which was creeping out the sky.

As if reading his mind, the brunette warrior approached him, calling his attention with a gentle touch from her cold hands on his own. He was suddenly aware that the temperature had sharply dropped as they had got closer to the mountain pass, and that her human frame made her more susceptible to the harshness of the weather than he was.

"I'm fine," she claimed his attention, making his gaze instantly lock on her own.

"You are tired," he stated with his usual broodiness.

"This is not the best place to spend the night and you know it."

Thorin nodded as her logic helped him to make up his mind. He immediately shouted in Khuzdul, ordering both his nephews to look after her during the climbing. Without another word, he marched to the front of the group and started guiding them, unaware it would soon become the worst storm he had ever witnessed in his life.

Sooner rather than later, he saw himself wishing they had remained at the pass, as they would still be soaking, but they would also be safe. At that moment, they were extremely wet as the result of that horrid storm, and in danger of being hit by the enormous stones that seemed to be cracking down from above them.

"Hold on!" he said as he witnessed a lightning strike not too far from where their group was. Bilbo then slipped, almost falling into the chasm below them, but Dwalin was quick enough to grab him. "We must find shelter!"

"Watch out!" Dwalin shouted as a huge boulder headed a few meters above where they were standing. It shattered into smaller pieces once it hit the mountain, making a rain of stones befall their heads.

"This is no thunderstorm; it's a thunder battle! Look!" Balin said as he pointed to a stone giant that was throwing stones towards another alike creature.

"Take cover, you'll fall!" Thorin warned as Katniss and Fíli pulled Bofur, who was too near the edge of the cliff against the mountain rock. Enormous stones carried on falling from the sky, narrowing the small path they were following even further.

Before they could even realise what was happening, the rocks beneath where Katniss was standing started vibrating as the ground split, separating their company in two groups. Fíli quickly noticed that Katniss was about to fall into the abyss, so he quickly pulled her towards him. Kíli however, was left on the other side alongside Thorin among others.

"Kíli! Grab my hand! Ki..."

"Katniss!" Thorin shouted from the front of their group.

"Thorin, watch out!" Katniss screamed back at him since she could see another stone giant prepare an attack where they were standing. Her shout brought him back to their reality, and the imminent danger they were in. So, he followed his instincts and managed to guide his men to a different spot that was, thankfully, not a stone giant. However, they were forced to witness the others being smashed against the mountain that their group was standing.

"No! No! Katniss!" Thorin shouted, feeling his heart twist so strongly against his chest, as he wished it had been him who had taken the blow. He made his way through the rubble to reach the spot where she and the others had collided. He was expecting to see the worst when he saw Katniss safely pressed in between Dwalin and Fíli. Thorin was unable to hide his relief as he saw that they were all fine.

"We're alright! We're alive!" Balin said as they were slowly getting back on their feet.

Unable to restrain himself, Thorin went over to the spot where Katniss was still lying and got her up on her feet with the help of his strong arms. He carefully examined her face, not missing a bloody scratch above her eyebrow.

"I was afraid I had lost you," he said, bringing her face near to his, but she dodged his advances.

"Where's Bilbo? Where's the Hobbit?" Bofur asked the group.

"There!" Ori pointed to the edge of the cliff where Bilbo's hands were holding the ground.

"Bilbo!" Katniss screamed, marching ahead to the place where Ori had pointed. Thorin went on close behind her.

"Get him!" Dwalin shouted, and Ori and Bofur immediately bent down to get hold of the hobbit's hand just in time to prevent him from falling down from the cliff.

Katniss was about to go down the rock to try to retrieve the hobbit when Thorin pushed her to the side, doing that instead of her. Within seconds, Thorin had managed to pull the hobbit back to safety. However, he lost his balance and almost ended up falling himself, but Dwalin was quick to get a hold of his friend and pull him back up. Thorin heard Katniss rushing towards him, her face sharing the same panicky look his had when he had been forced to witness her and the others colliding against the mountain.

"Thorin!" she whispered as she forced her arms around his neck, engulfing him in a very strong embrace.

"Mizin," Thorin allowed a smug grin to escape his lips. Having her worrying for him like this made the near-death experience he had endured worth it.

"I thought we'd lost our burglar," Dwalin said, but Thorin barely paid him any attention, as he was too busy contemplating the girl who was in his arms.

"We need to find shelter," she said, making him nod in agreement.

Thorin gently placed a kiss on her hand and signed for the others to follow him. However, this time he decided to keep her ahead of the group just beside him, not willing to chance to make them separate from each other again. They carried on walking forward for a while, until Thorin spotted a cave and hushed their whole group inside it.

"Finally!" Katniss said as she entered inside the cave, but Thorin did not let go from her.

"It looks safe enough," Dwalin said holding a lantern around.

"Search to the back; caves in mountains are seldom unoccupied," Thorin told him.

"Right then! Let's get a fire started," Gloin said as he unpacked a bunch of firewood to the centre of the cave.

"No, No fires, not in this place. Get some sleep. We start at first light," Thorin ordered.

Katniss then let go from his hold and started to find a spot for her to sleep, tired as she was feeling.

"We were to wait in the mountains until Gandalf joined us. That was the plan," Balin said.

"Plans change. Bofur, take the first watch," Thorin asked as he made his way to the place where Katniss had decided to claim as hers.

"Can I sleep next to you?" he asked.

"As far as I am concerned, you can sleep wherever you want. It is not like I am the campsite Queen or anything like that."

"I would like you to be…" he told her seriously.

"What?"

"The campsite Queen," he said, making her blush. However, instead of answering his comment, she just turned her back to him, covering herself with her blanket as she turned her head around and whispered.

"Goodnight Thorin," she said before she allowed herself to fall asleep almost immediately.

* * *

_Armies of dwarves, elves, and men were clashing their swords against orcs and other horrid creatures in the ruins of a ghost town that gave Katniss a vaguely creepy sense of deja-vu. She was still wearing her Mockingjay outfit, but the bow she was carrying was not the one made by Beetee. Her quiver was getting dangerously light, as she made her way through the battlefield. She was glad to feel the weight of a sword just alongside her quiver because it would not be long until she would be forced to use it, even though it was certainly not being her weapon of choice. She was running, dancing through the fire, dodging arrows and blades' mortal blows as if she had trained and waited for that moment for her entire life._

_Katniss found a lonely horse that seemed to have lost its rider in the middle of the chaos and did not think twice before claiming the animal and riding fast with a purpose - she needed to find the frozen lake and rescue Thorin from his premature demise. She did not know how she knew where to go but she did. Katniss was impressed by her own ability of firing arrows while hiding the horse, or perhaps that was just the adrenaline of battle getting the best of her. Soon, she started to get away from the main battle and was riding in a more secluded path. She saw Thorin clashing swords against a pale Orc from a distance, and she knew that she was reliving what she had once witnessed in Galadriel's mirror, and she feared what would happen next. She pressed both her feet firmly against the horse's torso, pushing it to go even faster._

" _Thorin!" she shouted, unsure if he could even hear her._

_She could see Thorin laying on the floor, the orc on top of him trying to force his sword into Thorin's chest. Katniss's hand headed for an arrow, only for her to realise that her quiver was empty. She carried on running, even though logic told her that she was too far away to make it in time. The orc managed to pierce Thorin's armour and stabbed him in the chest._

" _Thorin!" Katniss shouted as she felt her own heart stop beating._

It was then she felt a familiar musky scent followed by a pair of hands getting hold of her head, firmly but gently. She slowly opened her eyes and sighed in relief at finding the most handsome pair of blue eyes she had ever laid her eyes on, looking straight at her.

"Katniss…" he whispered her name, making her shiver. "It is ok, Amrâlimê. It was only a bad dream."

"You are alive." She could not help but raise her hand to touch his face. She needed to feel that he was still with her. It was true that Thorin had broken her trust, but witnessing him dying again made her realise how much she came to need him.

"I am. You will not get rid of me that easy." He got a hold of the hand that was caressing his face and placed a kiss on it. She tensed.

"Thorin… I…" She could almost feel a magnetic force pulling her to his arms. Only then she realised that she loved Gale as her best friend, the same way she also loved Peeta as a brother she never had. But she wanted Thorin as her lover. She was not sure if she loved the dwarf just yet, but she clearly _wanted_ him.

Thorin could almost pinpoint the moment when she reached that conclusion, and he was unable to refrain the wave of excitement that came out his chest and ran through his body. He narrowed the gap between them as he decided to challenge her.

"Come on, Amrâlimê. I dare you to say that you are not falling for me as hard as I am falling for you…"

And just as if he had said a magic word, she grabbed his neck and pulled him closer, making him lay down on top of her, and claimed his lips in an intense hungry kiss. It felt like the world had stopped spinning. She could feel her hands shaking as she tasted his woody, whisky, tobacco breath, and felt his beard scratching on her soft skin. His large hands were busy stroking her face and playing with her long braid, which was something he had been dreaming of doing for a long time. Katniss took that as an invitation to also run her hands through his long hair, pulling him even closer. This made him let escape a grunt of pleasure as she bit his lips. Soon their legs were intertwined and their hands were hastily exploring other parts of their bodies.

Thorin and Katniss would likely have carried on if it wasn't for an insistent noise of someone clearing his throat. They both left a sigh of annoyance as they turned their heads to witness Bofur giving a stupid smile and waving from the place he was doing his watch. They were also suddenly aware of the rattling loud snore noises from many members of the company, a reminder that they were far from being alone. Katniss hid her face on Thorin's chest, who immediately whispered a curse in Khuzdul to the toymaker, who enlarged his grin further as a response, which made Thorin even more annoyed. Trying to ignore him, the heir of Erebor stood up and offered his hand to Katniss, who promptly took it, doing the same.

"We need to talk," Thorin whispered close to her ear, as he armed himself and got hold of his most important possessions. Katniss did the same, wearing her bow, quiver and shoulder bag before she followed him to the cave's entrance. That dirty smelly cave was hardly the place that he had wished to declare his love and intentions to her, but their near-death experience, followed by that kiss, made it impossible for him to wait any longer. He wanted to make it clear, make it official.

There was some darkness upon the sky even though the storm seemed to have finally ceased outside. Thorin had a quick scan from outside of their cave as if he wanted to ensure that it was still a safe location and that there was nobody nearby hearing them. Katniss followed his lead and loaded her bow, as she did the very same thing. When it was clear that neither of them had found anything, Thorin allowed himself to relax his guard ever so slightly and had a better look at the young woman who had stolen his heart. Her hands and face carried dirt from their journey. He noticed that she still had a cut above her eyes, and that the unclean wound had now dried. Her hair was full of grime from the road, and her braid clearly needed to be redone.

He cursed himself for bringing her on this dangerous journey. Was not his duty to protect her from all danger and peril after all? And there he was, leading her on a dangerous quest to recover a mountain from a dragon, having her almost die in the middle of a giant stone war only a few hours ago.

Katniss noticed that his attention was on her now and she decided to lower her bow as well, though precaution made her not unload it just in case they were suddenly startled by Orcs or any other foul creature.

"So, you wanted to tell me something…?" Katniss asked, hoping they would not stay outside for very long. Even though Cinna's outfit seemed to be able to keep her warm in cold temperatures so she would not freeze to death, and cool enough during warm weather, it would be nice to be sheltered from the wind that was still blowing outside despite the lack of storm.

"Amrâlimê," he whispered as he looked her straight in her eyes. "Do you know what this word means?"

Katniss felt her face burn and she looked away from him.

"I don't know," slowly her eyes went back to meet his "but I like when you call me that…"

"Love of mine. My love," he was slowly walking towards her, a smile crossed his lips when he noticed the same tension he was feeling on her face. "Amrâlimê"

"You have been calling me that for a while…" she whispered as she put back her arrow inside her quiver.

"Because I have known for quite a while that you are my…"

However, the sudden appearance of a loud crashing noise, closely followed by screams was coming from inside of the cave where their company was sleeping. That was enough to make both of them exchange panicked expressions before they rushed back in. It was Thorin who first noticed the newly formed cliff, and held Katniss back before she could have a chance to fall, like the rest of his men had, only a few seconds ago.

They remained standing on the edge of the chasm, witnessing as every single member of their company crashed on the hard ground. While Katniss' attention was fully focused on the company, Thorin had also scanned the area and did not like what he was seeing. Crude constructions of stairs and bridges under a mountain like that could only mean one thing - goblins. He quickly grabbed Katniss, hiding them both from the view as he started to consider their options.

Just at that moment, a small army of Goblins that would easily outnumber their company appeared and started to restrain them. Katniss immediately loaded her bow, but Thorin was quick to prevent her from firing it.

"You will reveal our position, Mizin"

"Thorin, they could kill them!"

"No, they won't. I am sure they will want to interrogate them first…" Thorin said, trying to convince himself of his own affirmation. And even so, not really fancying the perspective of his men be questioned by goblins on the slightest.

"Thorin! We cannot leave them!" Katniss protested as she pointed to the dwarrowmen that were now being dragged away against their will.

"I did not say that. I would never suggest to leave them," Thorin spat with frustration, leading her to the cave's entrance, away from the cliff. "But think, Mizin… look how many they are. We cannot fight against an entire kingdom of goblins!"

"But…"

"Reveal our position and we will have only two options: be captured with the rest of our company or run away. And honestly, I don't want to be forced to do either."

"I see. You are suggesting a rescue plan."

"Aye,"

"Enlighten me," she said crossing her arms, in a doubtful manner. Thorin was about to open his mouth when they both were caught by surprise by a more than welcome familiar voice from just behind them.

"Thorin, Katniss... nice to see you. Where are the others?" the Grey Wizard asked in his usual calm voice.

"Gandalf," Thorin frowned his eyebrow, "funny that you ask that…"

"They have been captured by goblins," Katniss was quick to fill him in.

"Oh no, that won't do. Let's go get them back. Follow me." And without another word, Gandalf went inside the cave where they were just a few moments before.

Thorin and Katniss exchanged a sceptical glance but they ended up following the wizard nonetheless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not even going to apologise for the delay again. What can I say? Real-life is kicking my ass?
> 
> Anyway, I hope I can still carry on giving you some joy with this story. I hope that when November comes I will be able to update more often again.
> 
> And just so I don't forget...
> 
> Review, please?  
> x


	18. Chapter 18: Goblins, Wargs and Orcs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Nauze for nagging me every once in a while to make me write and for betareading this story.

Waking up to find yourself falling into an abyss is most certainly not the best way to rise for another day. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened with twelve dwarves and a hobbit from Thorin Oakenshield's company. They only realised what had happened seconds before they hit the hard rocky ground, one on top of the other. As if that wasn't enough, they were forced to face forty, sixty, one hundred violent, horrid, merciless goblins even before they were able to properly stand on their feet again.

The Company was clearly outnumbered, but they did not allow the goblins to restrain them without making some noise and fighting back as hard as they could, considering the circumstances.

"Dwalin, where are Uncle and Katniss?" Kíli asked, as he punched a goblin with his fist and sliced another one with his sword. That question was on top of the mind of all members of the company.

Dwalin did not answer, but his frown showed considerable worry as he smashed the skull of two goblins by banging them against each other.

" _ They were having a midnight rendezvous when we fell, _ " Bofur told in Khuzdul, making one of the goblins hit itself hard on his head. Meanwhile, all the dwarrow men had their hearts filled with both worry and hope. Worry for what could happen if they were also captured, and a hope that they would most certainly be working on a rescue plan right at that instant.

Soon, they were all restrained and escorted by the goblins through their dirty, nasty path. Bones littered the middle of the roads and the rest of a cow carcass was being savaged by mice and cockroaches. The dwarrowmen were forced to carry on walking the path, being guided through a couple of crudely made stairs and bridges as they were guided to the heart of that repulsive kingdom.

As they were getting near and nearer to their final destination, more Goblins seemed to join their brethren. Some would shout obscenities to the Company, others would try to throw pebbles or spit towards their direction, though they would almost always end up hitting one of their own instead of hitting the members of the company, as dwarrowmen reflexes were much better. Soon, it was clear for the dwarves that they were approaching what seemed to be the centre of the Goblin Kingdom.

An enormous throne occupied the centre of the clearing, with an even more colossal goblin on the centre. His crown, made of bones, indicated his status as the ruler of that foul and odious place. The King of the Goblins was waving around to the wide, nefarious crowd, which was cheering and applauding him. The dwarrowmen looked disgusted when they were forced to witness the Goblin King stomp and crush some of his own people. If that was the treatment that he reserved for his own kin, they were surely doomed.

"I feel a song coming on…" said the Goblin King as he rested his feet on other lesser goblins.

" _ Clap snap the black crack! _

_ Grip grab pinch and nab! _

_ Batter and beat! _

_ Make them stammer and squeak! _

_ Pound pound far under grounddddd… _

_ Down down down in Goblin Town…" _

The heinous Goblin king stood up from his skull-covered throne and started dancing and singing the horrifying song, to the delight of the other goblins who seemed to be truly enjoying watching their leader perform such despicable act.

" _ Down down down in Goblin Town…" _ the crowd quickly sang the chorus with a maniacal and cheerful voice.

" _ With a swish and a smack and a whip and a crack! _

_ Everybody talks when they're on my rack! _

_ Pound pound far under ground… _

_ Down down down to Goblin Town…" _

The absence of Oakenshield seemed to make the company a little bit more nervous than they would have otherwise. They were not all together. And Katniss… even though they were more than glad that their young Lass was not present to witness that monstrosity's show, they worried what could happen to her if they caught her alone, without anyone to defend her from these wicked creatures.

" _ Down down down to Goblin Town…" _ all inhabitants of Goblitown cheered as they sang their song.

_ Hammer and torch! _

_ You won't last long on the end of my prong! _

_ Clash crash crush and smash! _

_ Bang break shiver and shake! _

_ You can yell it and yelp but there ain't no help! _

_ Pound pound far under ground… _

The Goblin King was waving a sceptre that had an enormous bull's skull on its tip. Without showing any signs of remorse, he killed some of the Goblins with it just for show. The throne was located in the middle of a clearing, so it could be seen anywhere from above and below. They were surrounded. They had no escape route that they could take. Their only hope was that Thorin and Katniss would suddenly come up with a brilliant rescue plan under their sleeves.

" _ Down down down in Goblin Townnnnnnnn!" _ The crowd went wild as their leader almost threw half of the Goblins who were restraining the dwarves off a cliff by mistake.

"Catchy, isn't it? It is one of my own compositions…" the large goblin gave an evil smile to the dwarves.

"It is not a song. It is an abomination," Balin shouted disgusted, followed by nods and grunts of approval by the other company's members.

"Abominations, disfigurations, mutilations, and repulsions... That's all you're going to find down here," he finished and sat down on his massive throne, ordering with a wave from his hand for his prisoners to be searched.

There wasn't much that the dwarrowmen could do, as they were completely outnumbered. Despite that, they wiggled around as weapon by weapon were stripped off of them and placed into a pile just below the Great Goblin's feet.

"Who would be so bold as to come armed into my kingdom?" the Great Goblin asked, affronted by the large pile of weapons that had quickly been formed "Spies, thieves, assassins?"

"Dwarves, your Malevolence," one of the other lesser goblins answered him.

"Dwarves?"

"We found them on the front porch."

"Well, don't just stand there! Search them!" the Great Goblin shouted to his subjects. "Every crack and crevice!"

The goblins did not waste any time and started being even more vicious than they had been previously on their search. So was their lack of respect by the dwarves' belongings that they ended up stepping and smashing on Oin's hearing trumpet. When they went over to Nori's bag though, the goblins discovered quite a lot of elven made belongs from their stay at Rivendell.

"It is my belief, your Malevolence, that they are in league with elves."

All dwarves looked affronted by that insinuation as Dori gave Nori a disapproving look, who shook his head as he tried not to look guilt.

"Just a couple of keepsakes."

"What are you doing in these parts?" the Great Goblin shouted with a threatening voice.

Fíli was about to open his mouth, as he knew that despite his young age, it would be expected for him to take charge of the company in Thorin's absence. However, Dwalin and Balin both deliberately blocked and squeezed him to make him stay away from the discussion. Wasting no time, Balin took a step forward and started talking, bringing the Great Goblin's attention to himself.

"It was not our intention to fall down inside your…  _ lair _ ," Balin started as he carefully observed the Great goblin squint his eyes, full of suspicion. "There was a heavy storm outside; we needed shelter. We had no idea that we would end up…  _ here _ ."

"And what is your business? Where do your lot hail?" The goblin leader asked with a glare full of malice.

"Our business is our own," Gloin spat before Balin had a chance to say anything more tactful. Consequently, the Goblin King seemed to be enraged by his answer.

"We are humble merchants from the Blue Mountains, aiming to meet some relatives east of Dunlad. That's all," Balin said, trying to repair the damage made by Oin's younger brother. "Could you give us passage?"

"Blue Mountains, you say?" The Great Goblin started as he scratched his triple chin "Well, well, well... it depends, you see...?"

"Of what?" Balin asked already dreading the goblin's answer.

"If you lot can help me by giving us any information on the whereabouts of Thorin Oakenshield…"

All the dwarves went pale immediately after they heard the request made by the horrid goblin leader. The gargantuan goblin seemed to notice how off-balanced the company had become at his comment, as he smirked maliciously at Balin, while he waited for an answer. Unfortunately, it was not Balin who spoke up first.

"What do you want with Uncle?" Kíli said at once, without thinking.

The company immediately realised the big mistake that Thorin's younger nephew had made, and while Dori left a deep sigh of frustration escape, Bofur face-palmed his own head after witnessing Kíli's deadly mistake. Some others, like Nori and Gloin, made an effort to shield Kíli away with their own body, but they all knew that it was a likely a lost battle. The Goblin King looked evilly at the youngest heir of Durin.

"Well, well, well, isn't this our lucky day?" The big Goblin gave a wicked smirk to the other goblins who promptly smiled back. "May I ask what is your name, nephew of Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror; King under the Mountain?"

"Don't tell him, Kee!" Fíli urged his brother, fearing what would come next.

"Oh, nevermind. It matters little anyway. After all, your lot don't have a mountain. And your Uncle was never a king. Which makes you nobody, really,"

"Our Uncle is a nobler king than you can ever dream of being," Fíli decided to call the attention to himself, in a desperate attempt to save his brother from the Great goblin wrath.

"Oh, there are two of you then? Even better. I know someone who would pay a pretty price for your Uncle's head. Just the head, nothing attached. Perhaps you know of whom I speak, an old enemy of him. A Pale Orc astride a White Warg."

"Azog is dead. Thorin killed him in battle long ago," Dwalin spat full of rage.

"So you lot believe his defíling days to be done, do you?" The Goblin King gave a vile loud laugh before he summoned a tiny little goblin who had been sitting in a basket and holding a slate and chalk.

"Send word to the Pale Orc; tell him I have found Oakenshield's heirs."

The small goblin was grinning as he wrote down the message on his slate before he left the scene as quickly as he had appeared.

"Now, who of your lot will tell me where is Oakenshield hiding?"

All the dwarves looked at each other in panic. None of them would ever betray Thorin, they all would rather die.

"Can we have a volunteer, anyone?" the Great Goblin asked again, but nobody dared to say a word this time. "Well then, if they will not talk, we'll make them squawk! Bring out the Mangler! Bring out the Bone Breaker! Start with the oldest."

Dwalin and Fíli tried their best to keep Balin out of the reach of the wicked goblins but unarmed and outnumbered, there was not much that they could do. They shouted Balin's name, as the white-haired dwarf was swiped away from their grasps. Meanwhile, the foul torture devices were being brought to the centre of the clearing by two dozen goblins, while their king was presenting them with another one of his monstrous tunes.

" _ Bones will be shattered, necks will be wrung! _

_ You'll be beaten and battered, from racks you'll be hung! _

_ You will die down here and never be found, _

_ Down in the deep of Goblin Town!" _

It took four goblins to restrain the elder dwarven warrior, forcefully trying to tie him to a wheel that was clearly made for torture someone much bigger than any dwarf. Balin tried to fight his away out from his ordeal, but as he wiggled in a vain escape attempt, a particularly nasty goblin ended up scratching his face, marring it with blood. All the dwarrowmen shouted in outrage and demanded them to stop.

Dwalin was particularly possessed, and had done as such by fighting his way to recover his axe from the pile on the floor, and was marching to retrieve his older brother from the grasp of the goblins. Inspired by Dwalin’s successful attempt, Fíli and Kíli followed the old warrior's lead and also retrieved a sword each, and the other company members followed suit.

"Slash them! Beat them! Kill them! Kill them all!" the Goblin King shouted as he was taken aback by the sudden uprise of the dwarrowmen.

A goblin was almost slitting Balin's throat with a dagger when suddenly they all felt a shockwave of light that tore through their den like an atomic bomb. It was light on its purest form, the light coming straight from the Valar. It made goblins fly through the air and exploded all of their torturing devices. Everybody, goblins and dwarrowmen alike were knocked down by its force, though while the dwarrowmen felt their heart be filled with hope, the goblins were filled with nothing but fear at that time. When the light started to fade, everything they could see was the shadow of a wizard, carrying a staff and a shining sword closely followed by the silhouette of a small woman with a loaded bow and Thorin Oakenshield was also holding his sword in an attack stance. Every single pair of eyes looked at them in both fear and awe.

"Take up arms. Fight. Fight!" Gandalf shouted to the company, who slowly started to get on their feet.

* * *

Katniss followed Gandalf as closely and quietly as possible with Thorin just behind her. She was wearing her night vision glasses and her bow was loaded with one of his arrows, a gesture of caution that both the wizard and the dwarrow king both seemed to approve. She was convinced that Gandalf had placed some sort of spell on the three of them, as they crossed paths with some goblin inhabitants that were probably near enough to notice their presence, but for some odd reason, they remained completely oblivious as the trio made their way to the depths of the Goblins’ den.

That mountain was a horrid place, an underground suffocating prison that Katniss could not wait to escape. A putrid smell lingered in the air, blood and animals' bones tossed around the ground. A distant sound of crowd cheering followed by what seemed to be a frightful morbid tune informed that they were likely to be on the correct path to find their companions. As the noise started getting louder and louder, both Katniss and Thorin pointed to goblins who were looking to the discussion that was unfolding in front of their bare eyes, and the first thing that they could see was Balin tied in a torture device. Thorin clenched his fists full of anger and got his sword ready to claim as many goblin lives as possible. Katniss was feeling pretty much possessed with rage herself, but before any of them could get anywhere near the battle that was about to break out, Gandalf gave a warning glance at them.

"Hold on tight."

Katniss and Thorin exchanged a confused look, just before a light brighter than the sun came out Gandalf's staff. The young woman found it hard to keep on looking ahead even with the aid of her modern glasses. She felt Thorin's warms wrapping her up with his strong arms. If it was for aiding her into keeping her balance or for him to maintain his own, Katniss wasn't sure. What she knew is that she shouldn't be as shocked by witnessing magic being performed after everything that she had seen and lived, during the past couple of months, but somehow, it still did. When the brightness faded slightly, Thorin let go of her and stood in attack position just behind Gandalf, who was already pointing both his staff and sword ahead. She followed their lead and decided to do the same, trying to appear much more confident than she actually felt.

"Take up arms. Fight. Fight!" Gandalf shouted to the Company who had fallen down with the goblins as they were both blinded by Gandalf's bright life.

Quickly, and reinvigorated with a strengthening absolute hope brought by their presence, every single member of the company started to fight with new vigour. As they did, some goblins started marching towards them, but both Thorin and Gandalf had no issue slicing them dead with their new swords.

"It is Oakenshield, he is carrying the Goblin-Cleaver, the Biter, the blade that sliced a thousand necks," the Great Goblin shouted, making Thorin grimace with pride as he killed another couple of goblin minions.

Katniss stayed a bit behind and shot an arrow straight to the eye of the goblin who had a dagger pointed towards Balin's neck. She quickly loaded another arrow and aimed for another goblin that seemed to be too near to the old dwarf for comfort. She prayed that someone had taken the task to free the old warrior and remove him from the vulnerable position he was in.

"His companion wields the Foe-Hammer, the Beater, bright as daylight!" the Goblin kind shouted in a panicked voice that did not fit his status or his larger figure. Meanwhile, the company was quickly retrieving their weapons and belongings from the pile on the floor. All but Dwalin and Fíli, who were trying to free Balin from that horrid torture device.

Katniss decided to load her bow with one of her explosive arrows, in the hopes of scaring their enemies enough to buy them some time. She lowered it strength to the bare minimum, as many members of their company were still too near him, and also because she did not fancy to make that mountain collapse, at least not while they were all inside it. Nonetheless, she aimed it straight to the Great Goblin's eye. She held her breath and allowed the arrow to leave her grasp and finally reach its target. His immense head exploded immediately, making his flesh and blood fly everywhere. A goblin tried to attack Katniss from behind without her noticing, but Thorin, who had his attention on her more than on anyone else in the battle, was able to stop the foul blade from marring her body just in time.

She let a noise of shock come out her lips as she witnessed Thorin finish the goblin who had been bold enough to attack her. Then Thorin looked at her with a mixture of relief and dread for what was still to come.

"Stay alert, stay close."

She nodded in agreement as she loaded another arrow, and decided to keep that one there for the meantime.

"Follow me. Quick! Run!" Gandalf ordered to the company as he pointed to a path that neither of them had noticed until the wizard pointed it out. Everybody obeyed him at once, and the Company started to run for their lives throughout the dark, mazed paths of Goblintown.

* * *

By the time they had finally managed to leave the Misty Mountains, Katniss' quiver was beginning to run dangerously low on arrows. She had used all the arrows Thorin had made for her in Rivendell, as well as all her ordinary arrows and even a couple of the explosive ones, that she had used to provoke a mini-avalanche when they were escaping the horde of goblins. Katniss carried on running down the mountain with her companions when she removed her night-vision glasses as daylight made then unnecessary and put it away with her precious belongings. She knew that she had lost her sleeping mat and blanket in the middle of the chaos, but she also knew that probably most of them also had lost theirs.

"Five, six, seven, eight...Bifur, Bofur...that's ten...Fíli, Kíli, Katniss...that's thirteen...and Bombur - that makes fourteen. Where's Bilbo? Where is our Hobbit? Where is our hobbit?!" Gandalf asked with worry as everyone started looking around to see if they could find any sign of Bilbo.

"Curse the halfling! Now he's lost?!" Dwalin shouted.

"I thought he was with Dori!" Gloin accused.

"Don't blame me!" Dori said defensively.

"Well, where did you last see him?" Gandalf asked the dwarrow man.

"I think I saw him slip away, when they first collared us," Nori said from the other side of the group.

"What happened exactly? Tell me!" the wizard asked.

"I'll tell you what happened. Master Baggins saw his chance and he took it! He’d thought of nothing but his soft bed and his warm hearth since first he stepped out of his door! We will not be seeing our Hobbit again. He is long gone," Thorin said accusingly.

Katniss felt frustration as she wanted to tell him that he was wrong, that the Bilbo she knew would not abandon them to their fate, but the words got lost on the way to her lips. It was exactly at that moment that Bilbo decided to appear from the middle of nowhere and grace them with his presence.

"No, he isn't," Bilbo said quietly.

"Bilbo!" Katniss ran towards him and crushed the small hobbit with a hug, making the little man blush by the sudden female attack. Thorin seemed taken back by her reaction but decided to keep his thoughts and words for himself. When she finally let go the little fellow, it was Gandalf's turn to great him.

"Bilbo Baggins! I've never been so glad to see anyone in my life!"

Bilbo smiled as he made his way to the middle of the group. He gave Balin a gentle pat on his shoulder.

"Bilbo, we'd given you up!" Kíli smiled kindly at him.

"How on earth did you get past the Goblins?!" Fíli enquired.

"How, indeed," Dwalin asked squinting his eyes in suspicion.

All company members including Katniss looked at Bilbo eagerly expecting to hear the tale of his escape from the depths of the Goblin caves, but Gandalf noticed Bilbo sliding a ring inside his pocket and looked a bit concerned.

"Well, what does it matter? He's back!" Gandalf said with nervous grim, as he decided to intervene.

"It matters! I want to know: why  _ did _ you come back?" Thorin demanded to know.

"Look, I know you doubt me, I know you always have. And you're right, I often think of Bag End. I miss my books. And my armchair. And my garden. See, that's where I belong. That's home. And that's why I came back, cause you don't have one. A home. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can."

"And help us you shall," Katniss gave him a proud smile before she looked up to Thorin, who nodded in agreement. Oin was about to have a look on the nasty bruise that Balin had acquired on his face when the sound of howling wargs made everyone get on their guard once again. Katniss immediately loaded her bow with one of her explosive arrows and aimed it to the top of the mountain where they could barely see the Warg and their orc riders from the distance. Though with the position she was in, she knew that she would never be able to get a clear shot.

"Out of the frying pan..." Thorin started.

"...and into the fire!" Gandalf concluded. "Run! RUN!" he said looking straight to her eyes.

Memories of her first Hunger Games quickly ran through Katniss' mind. The way that those horrid wolf-like creatures had played with Cato's body for hours and hours, and she felt her stomach turn with that sour memory. There was no need to wait for any further invitation. Katniss was naturally a fast runner, especially in short distances, so she decided to sprint ahead of the company as fast as her legs would allow her. She then stopped at the top of a rock that she believed would give her the opportunity to have a clearer shot at the wargs. Choosing the highest possible damage setting on her bow, she shot one of her remaining explosive arrows towards the group of wargs that were getting closer.

She did not linger there to see the results of her attempt, and jumped ahead to the ground, a drop that was twice her own height, but she struggled to remain on her feet when she landed. Thorin, who was already down there, extended his hand to help her get back on her feet. Their eyes quickly met and they looked back as they heard the explosion, just in time to see that she ended up exploding five of the wargs and scared off a couple of other ones, pulling back in retreat.

"Carry on," Thorin shouted at the group, and he did not need to repeat himself, as new wargs began to take the place of the ones who had fallen.

Katniss stopped thrice more in a vain attempt to give them some time. Even though it would work for a couple of seconds, more than double the number of wargs and orc riders seemed to appear out of nowhere for each one she managed to kill. There were too many enemies, and she had only one explosive arrow left. They arrived at the edge of a cliff. They were trapped. They had nowhere to hide. She turned her back and saw that the wargs were catching up with them, and she decided to shoot the last explosive arrow she had on her possession in order to buy their group a few more seconds.

"Up into the trees, all of you! Come on, climb! Bilbo, climb!" Gandalf said as the noise of the explosion informed them that her arrow had likely hit its target.

Katniss did not need to be told twice. After securing her bow on her shoulders, she started climbing the tree that was nearest to the place she was standing, Fíli and Kíli followed her closely behind. When she was near the top, she looked down just in time to witness Bilbo escaping the wrath of a warg by a few seconds. She grabbed her bow and reached for her quiver. She had only seven incendiary arrows left. That was all she had, and there were at least three dozen wargs approaching the pine trees that they had climbed. She looked around, trying to locate Thorin. He was looking straight at her in a tree next to the one she was in. She looked at Gandalf, trying to find any guidance of what they should do now, but the wizard seemed to be busy talking to what looked like a small bird or a gigantic moth. Katniss wasn't sure. She rolled her eyes in annoyance at the wizard's apparent lack of concern for the problem of having a small army of wargs and orcs surrounding the company.

The wargs were circling the trees, almost as if they were waiting for something. She decided to load her bow and wait. It was then that an enormous white Orc calmly arrived, looking like the reincarnation of evil itself. She recognized the Orc straightway because she had watched that very same Orc killThorin through Galadriel's mirror. Her eyes widened in fear and her blood went cold.

"Azog."

Katniss heard Thorin spitting the orc's name full of rage. She was certain she had heard that same name before, she just could not place where or when.

" _ Nuzdigid? Nuzdi gast? Ganzilig-i unarug obod nauzdanish, Torin undag Train-ob." _

Katniss squinted her eyes as she pointed her arrow at the pale orc. She did not understand a single word of what he was saying, but she could almost swear that he had mentioned Thorin's name.

"It cannot be." Thorin looked like he had seen a ghost. She looked at Thorin, hoping to find a sign that said that it was ok for her to go ahead and kill the one who seemed to be the Orc leader, but for once, Thorin's attention seemed to be far away from her.

"Kod, Toragid biriz. Worori-da!"

Clearly following whatever command Azog had given, the Wargs began to leap and attempt to climb the trees. Assessing the situation again, Katniss pointed her bow away from their leader and locked in into a warg that seemed to be almost succeeding in reaching Bilbo. She considered if she should turn off the incendiary power of her arrows, but she decided against.

"Sho gad adol!"

The trees she was in started to shake violently as the Wargs assault increased. The Wargs managed to remove the root of the tree that Thorin and some of the others were sitting on, and they ended up having to jump to the tree she was in. In a domino-like effect, the tree she was in also ended up falling down, and they were all forced to move from tree to tree, until they were on the last tree just next to the cliff. Thorin was just above her. She decided that even if their trees caught fire as a result, firing her incendiary arrows was a necessary risk she was more than willing to take in order to attempt doing something to delay their deaths. So she fired an arrow, making the warg she had hit burst into flames immediately, making a couple of wargs who were next to it to also catch on fire. All the others began to retreat, full of wariness.

The pale Orc started to scan the trees to find the source of that unexpected attack, when Gandalf threw a flaming pinecone near his feet, making the grass and plants around Azog catch fire almost immediately. Gandalf then started lighting more pinecones and shared them with other company members. Meanwhile, Katniss threw a couple of more incendiary arrows, making the orcs notice her presence. Thorin did not like that and decided to tell her off.

"Stop calling their attention. You will only mark yourself as a target,"

"Do you have any other ideas?" she asked him full of annoyance "No. I did not think so," she replied sharply before shooting another arrow that hit another warg straight in his eyes.

Thorin grumbled in annoyance with her behaviour.

Soon, the wargs started to retreat in fear of the fire, and the company allowed themselves to cheer, and Azog let a growl of frustration escape his mouth. However, the company's victory was short-lived, as the root of the tree they were on started to give away. Soon, they were all fighting to remain on the tree, even Katniss, who had spent half of her childhood climbing trees, struggled to keep her balance and avoid a sharp fall off the cliff.

She looked up to see how Thorin was fairing, but he was not looking at her. His pure rage eyes were locked in Azog's, and slowly he started to stand up on the tree branch and march towards the Pale Orc, and Katniss just knew what he was about to do. Azog also knew if the evil grim he gave was anything to judge him by.

"Thorin, no!" she shouted as she started to also climb on the tree, hoping to somehow be able to restrain him.

"Tal' laad," Thorin ordered in Khuzdul without even care to look back, and she suddenly felt both Fíli and Kíli's strong arms restraining her.

"Thorin, please!" she tried to reason with him, but he was already gone, and she could not help but feel the tears building up in her eyes, as she was forced to witness Thorin being thrown to the side after he marched against Azog, carrying nothing but his oak shield and his sword Orchirst.

"Let me go! He is going to kill him!" she screamed desperately to Fíli and Kíli as she wiggled trying to free herself from their grasp. But even when Durin's grasp started to become a bit looser, they were stronger and wanted to do their best to obey Thorin's last order.

Bilbo, however, had managed to leave the branch and make his way towards Thorin and the pale Orc, as no one seemed to be bothered by him getting near the combat.

Thorin stood up, and once again the Pale Orc and his warg marched against him with a thirst for his blood. Thorin was hit on the head by the Orc's mace, and before he knew it, he was laying down on the floor, his body being chewed by Azog's Warg.

Katniss screamed. Dwalin cursed. Fíli and Kíli were suddenly no longer capable of holding her back, but somehow, she seemed to have frozen on the spot.

In a last attempt to fight for his life, Thorin got his sword and stabbed the Warg that was trying to pierce his skin with its sharp tooth. The warg threw him around, and Thorin fell on the hard ground, his sword Oschrist, no longer on his hand.

" _ Biriz torag khobdudol," _ Azog ordered another Orc, who promptly walked to the place where Thorin had fallen, carrying a crude made sword with him.

The Orc had been ordered to behead Thorin, just the way Azog had done with his Grandfather. Katniss suddenly remembered the story and the moment she had shared with the Dwarrow King, the night she heard Balin telling them about the battle of Azanulbizar. She wanted to do something but she felt as if she could barely keep breathing. He was going to die. She was going to see him dying and there was nothing she could do about it. Fíli and Kíli also seemed to have frozen just next to her.

It was then that they all saw Bilbo throwing himself against the Orc who was to become Thorin's murder. The small hobbit came out of nowhere and dropped a deadly blow on the Orc who already had his sword aimed towards Thorin's neck. Bilbo then turned around to face the pale Orc, who did not look pleased by being defied, the hobbit looking much braver than he probably felt. That was all that was needed for Katniss and the others to come out of their trance. As Fíli, Kíli, Dwalin, and others started marching towards the Orcs, Katniss stood still and reached for an arrow. There were only two arrows left, and she was determined to make them count.

It was as if all the events that happened afterwards were in slow motion. She loaded her bow at the same moment Fíli, Kíli, and Dwalin began to clash swords against the Orcs who were marching to the place where Thorin was lying unconscious and Bilbo was standing. Katniss locked her aim straight to Azog's eye and after holding her breath, she allowed her arrow to zoom around the small battlefield. Azog needed to die so Thorin would live. And Katniss stood there, watching her arrow hit its target and bury itself inside the Orc's skull, as she knew it would happen. She sighed in relief. Azog was dead. He was dead, and he could no longer harm Thorin now. Katniss allowed a victorious grin to adorn her lips.

It was then that she noticed another pale Orc, almost bigger than the one she had just killed looking at her with pure rage. He was galloping on his Warg towards the spot where she was standing. She loaded her bow again with her very last arrow and pointed at that second Orc. She was confident she would be able to put him down with ease, just like she had just finished his kin. Nobody else seemed to realize what was happening, as everyone was too busy fighting their own battles.

Once again, she locked her aims on the other pale Orc, but before she was able to shoot her arrow, she was ripped from the place she had been standing by a gigantic eagle, who wrapped its claws around her torso from her back and started to fly away with her. She wiggled, trying to free herself from the bird's grasps, but she wasn't strong enough. For a brief moment, she truly believed the eagles were nothing but another enemy who was trying to kill her. But after watching the battle that was unfolding between the eagles and the Orcs for a few seconds, it was clear that the eagles were on their side. So when the eagle that was holding her, dropped her on the top of another eagle, she did the best she could to be a good passenger and allowed the bird to take her away from the battlefield.

Katniss looked around and saw Thorin also being carried away by another eagle who was gently holding him with its claws. He was lying unconscious, and he could be dead for all she knew. She closed her eyes and hoped that he would be fine. He had to be fine. After all, Azog was dead now, was he not? The other possible future she had seen in Galadriel's mirror showed him alive. Katniss was suddenly glad for the momentary solitude she had as she was flying on the back of her eagle, as silent teardrops escaped her eyes. She could not bear the thought having gone so far of admitting her growing feelings for the dwarf, only to lose him now.

When Katniss's eagle dropped her at the top of a big rock, Gandalf was already there, pointing his staff towards Thorin's chest, Bilbo was just behind him. She wasted no time shoving Bilbo and the wizard to the side when she noticed that Thorin was slowly waking up. She knelt down in front of him, feeling a mixture of relief and annoyance, followed by an enormous urge to kiss and slap him at the same time. Thorin, however, looked nothing but happy to see her face so close to his.

"Amrâlimê, menu tessu mizin," he said in Khuzdul as he ran his large fingers through her auburn hair, which was in desperate need of attention.

"What hell were you thinking, you stupid dwarf!" she started crying, no longer carrying if more than half of the company had also landed and could potentially see that as an act of weakness on her part. "Marching to your death like that! You could be dead!" she finished the last bit hitting his chest with much less force than she was capable of employing.

Thorin, in his turn, did not answer her with words. Instead, he pulled her face towards his and engulfed her in a deep, passionate kiss, which she eagerly reciprocated. Soon, her hands were also on his hair, and she would probably have forgotten about the rest of the company was still present if it wasn't for the loud cheer that seemed to erupt, making them break from their embrace. Thorin, however, did not let her go so fast. He looked at her eyes and whispered as lowly he could.

"Be my Queen."

"Thorin!" she opened her eyes wide and sat down in shock by the unexpected proposal.

"Marry me," he asked, and Fíli gave to his uncle the same wrapped parcel that Katniss had seen Thorin carrying a couple of times. Thorin handled the parcel for her. Now she was sure that it was likely to be a sword, as Balin had explained some of the Durin's courting traditions a few nights ago.

She remained there, looking at him in shock, as Thorin asked Gandalf about Bilbo's whereabouts. Katniss looked at the hobbit, who was looking happy, but a bit nervous. When Thorin began to reprimand Bilbo's behaviour, she almost stood up to intervene on the hobbit's behalf. In the end, she was glad that she did not do that, because it turned out that Thorin was only working him up to be very thankful for the hobbit's heroic actions. And Katniss knew well enough that Thorin owned his own life to the small fellow, and therefore, she also felt like she had to add saving Thorin's life to her growing debt list she had with Bilbo.

It was then that Thorin suddenly stopped in front of the cliff as if he had seen a ghost. Bilbo turned his head to see if he could spot what had Oakenshield so mesmerised, and so did she. Katniss almost did not recognise the place that Thorin was looking at with so much awe. After all, it did look so different without the buildings around. But the more she looked at the solitary mountain in the distance, the clearer it was that Thorin was looking to the mountain that she had once known as District Two, the one she had helped to explode with her rebel companions.

"Is that what I think it is?" Bilbo asked, making her frown in confusion. Which place could Bilbo possibly think that mountain was?

"Erebor—The Lonely Mountain. The last of the great dwarf kingdoms of Middle-earth," Gandalf revealed, making Katniss feel her heart stopped in shock.

"Our home," Thorin said full of pride.

Katniss could not help but gasp. Their home. Erebor. Erebor was District Two. The very same district she had helped to destroy someday in the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nuzdigid? Nuzdi gast? Ganzilig-i unarug obod nauzdanish, Torin undag Train-ob:  
> Do you smell it? The scent of fear? I remember your father reeked of it, Thorin son of Thrain.
> 
> Kod, Toragid biriz - That one is mine
> 
> Worori-da! - Kill the others!
> 
> Sho gad adol! - Drink their blood
> 
> Tal' laad,” - hold her
> 
> Amrâlimê, menu tessu mizin - My love, you are everything to me my jewel
> 
> And that is it for now. I am not sure if any of you have seen that coming, but… yeah, if she is from the future, she is bound to recognize some places. Erebor is District Two, which is also described as a solitary mountain. Please let me know your thoughts? Xx


	19. Chapter 19: Revelations and Resolutions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Nauze for ensuring that I would update this before the end of the year.

_ “Is that what I think it is?” Bilbo asked, making her frown in confusion. Which place did Bilbo could possibly think that mountain was? _

_ “Erebor—The Lonely Mountain. The last of the great dwarf kingdoms of Middle-earth.” Gandalf revealed, making Katniss feel as if her heart stopped in shock. _

_ “Our home,” Thorin said, full of pride. _

_ Katniss could not help but gasp. Their home. Erebor. Erebor was District Two. The very same district she had helped destroy someday in the future. _

Oin started saying something about ravens but she barely paid him any attention. It was as if she had forgotten how to breathe. All she could do was have flashbacks about that fatidical night when the rebels exploded the Nut, burying its residents alive just so they would be able to undermine the Capitol’s military power. 

Katniss could almost feel the heat of the fire, the sulfurous smell of gunpowder. The bitter taste of metal. The clouds of smoke. She felt sick. How could she look Thorin in the eyes after learning this? How could she look at  _ any _ of them without remembering that someday she had -  _ well _ ,  _ would  _ \- helped destroy their homeland. She felt dirty, unworthy of their respect. She wanted to run away. 

“Are you okay, Lassie?” she noticed a concerned Balin addressing her, removing Katniss from her hypnotic trance. Only then she realised that Thorin and the others had already started to carefully climb down the Carrock, the place where the eagles had dropped them on.

“Balin…” she started, unsure of what exactly she could say, so she decided to remain quiet and pray that he would just let her be.

“You look like you've seen a ghost,” the old dwarf started. She gave him an intense glare, silently demanding him to drop it. Then she started to slowly walk towards the place where the others had already started to go down a rustic staircase. Balin went after her but not before turning back and giving a final glance to the Lonely Mountain.

After having lost the majority of their belongings and provisions, they were in desperate need of food and water. Everyone was feeling exhausted but there was a silent agreement that they needed to carry on and push through their tiredness for just a little bit longer. After all, the sun had just risen in the sky, and they would likely have more success if they did their search while graced by the sunlight’s presence. 

Katniss remained silent most of the time, ignoring anyone who approached her to make any sort of small talk. She remained further back of their group, still ruminating thoughts about what she would do now that she knew about Erebor’s future, and the part she had played in it. 

Thorin, on the other hand, remained in the front, leading the company. He was filled with pride, more determined than ever to diminish the distance between them and the Lonely Mountain. His excitement for finally glimpsing his childhood’s land once again was so great, he ended up failing to perceive how shaken up his One had become at the sight of his homeland. 

It took them a couple of hours to find an extremely narrow stream that Gandalf knew would later join with the Anduin River. Despite being quite early still, Thorin quickly ordered them to set up camp and perform their usual tasks, as he knew they all had more than earned the right of having a little rest. This time, to her annoyance, Katniss was excused from all tasks, so she found a spot and started to go through what was left of her possessions. She suspected that the sole reason for that was that Thorin probably wanted to finally readdress the impulsive proposal he had done at the top of the Carrock, and she wasn’t really looking forward to facing him again. Not after everything she had found out.

Katniss avoided looking at him until he was so near, that there was not a possibility for her to ignore his presence any longer. She looked up to face him, praying that this talk would finish before it even started. Thorin had an eager, fierce gleam in his eyes and a pleasant jovial smirk that made him look almost a century younger than what he really was. Her heart was beating fast. The guilty of having once been among the ones who had exploded his homeland way too present on her mind.

"You killed Azog," was what he first stated, to her surprise. 

“You know it, then,” she stated back, nodding in agreement.

"Dwalin told me. Thank you,” he carried on, “but I wish you had left Azog for me."

"I'm sorry. But you were not in a position to refuse any help," she said, finally able to look him in the eyes. It was Thorin’s turn to nod in acceptance of her statement.

"Believe me when I say that I understand your frustration, Thorin. I would hate to see anyone else but me killing Snow," 

Even though Thorin intensified his glare at that revelation, he did not say a word. It was when he noticed the unopened package he had carried all the way from Rivendell and was resting among her other possessions that he spoke up. 

“Are you not going to open it?” he said looking at the package as he successfully hid his feelings about her delay on opening his gift. Katniss felt her cheeks burn. She knew what it was, as Balin had previously informed her that gifting a weapon was, essentially, a very formal marriage proposal among Durin’s folk.

“Thorin, about that, I think we should talk.” 

He nodded.

“Come,” he invited her, offering his hand. “Grab your things. Let’s scout a bit further.”

She sighed. She was feeling extremely tired after the big ordeal they all had gone through. Nonetheless, she did as he said. Some of the company members threw them sly, knowing looks as she followed him away from their small troop. They walked in complete silence for several,  _ long  _ minutes. Katniss’ heart was beating extremely fast throughout the entire walk. The guilt and shame were mixed with the anxiety regarding Thorin’s unexpected hasty marriage proposal. In addition, there was also the weird sensation of something twisting inside her stomach. It was something she had been feeling every time Thorin was involved.

Thorin, on the other hand, was completely unaware of the swirling feelings inside her. Balin had informed his suspicion that Katniss was somehow feeling a bit out of sorts. However, everybody had seen when she answered to his touch. Thorin also had made it quite clear that he was serious about his intentions. Whatever it was that was making her wary, he never imagined it would have any impact on their relationship. Even though the matrimonial agreement would still need to be signed, now that he showed his intentions and she had accepted the court, they were allowed to be alone. And if there was something that Thorin Oakenshield wanted almost as much as reclaiming Erebor, was to take full advantage of being able to enjoy her presence in privacy. 

When he was certain they would no longer be seen or heard by anyone from their company, Thorin invited her to sit down on the grass with him. She had an unreadable expression, but he could sense how tense she was.

“Your hair is a mess. Can I wash it and braid it for you?” he asked eagerly as he placed a loose stray of hair behind her ear. This request and gesture made her quiver at the memory of the last time he cared for her hair. She wanted to agree and allow him to take charge, but she also knew there were many reasons why she should avoid that at any costs. Instead of answering his question, she decided to ask him something else.

"Balin told me that dwarves only love once...is that true or he was only playing with me?" 

“It is true. Why would Balin jest about such thing, Mizin?” He frowned. That was certainly not the answer he was hoping to hear. “Do you know what my gift means, I assume?”

“It is a sword, isn't it? Balin told me. It is your tradition to gift an axe or a sword to your intended.”

“Aye, it is our tradition bestow a gift. And blacksmith is the craft of the house of Durin.”

Katniss started fiddling with the unopened package that she had received an hour ago. 

“Why me?”

“Why you?”

“Why did you choose me to be your One?”

“You are a stunning, alluring woman, Katniss. The kind many men would kill to claim as their own…”

“You are very attractive as well, Thorin. I am pretty sure you must have dwarrowdams lined up to court you.”

“Aye. But I never pursued courting with any.”

“Why ever not?”

“Because I never returned their feelings…"

There was a brief silence where he reached for her hand and slowly started stroking it with his own. This mere touch was enough to send waves of pleasure across her body. 

“We might not have started with the right foot. But you allowed me to see who you really are. A young brave woman who had been forced to endure the weight of the world on her shoulders…” He paused and took a deep breath before proceeding, “and...I saw myself in you.”

“Thorin…” she gasped his name, her heart beating fast.

“Please, let me finish, Mizin. I know that we have many divergences; our race, our age gap, even the era we were born is different. But despite all these differences, I could not help but watch my feelings for you grow stronger and stronger. And now, it has been a while that I have been sure that you are amrâlimê - my love, my One and only…”

My love. Amrâlimê. Katniss started fiddling with the package again, as she wondered what would happen to all these feelings he claimed to have when she confessed the part she would one day play at the destruction of District Two. 

“Open it,” he ordered.

She gave him an intrigued look before doing as asked. She could not help but let a gasp of admiration leave her lips as she saw the beautiful sword he had just given her. She ran her fingers through it, trying to assimilate every little detail engraved on the sword, from the unknown dwarrow runes carved in the blade, to the small Mockingjay on the hilt. She tried it out, performing a few moves that Dwalin had taught her. It felt like it was the perfect size and weight for her arms.

“Thorin! Where did you get this?” she gasped, unsure of how to react. She could barely remove her eyes from the blade, which had clearly been tailor-made for her.

“I made it, of course,” he said, cocky, making her raise her eyes and look at him in astonishment. “This is a token of my affection to you, amrâlimê. As I said, blacksmithing is the craft that has been passed through me from generations. It has been present in my family since Durin I, the Deathless, our oldest ancestral. Swords and Axes are known to be the traditional courting gift that the king presents his future Queen to demonstrate his intentions of marrying her, both for her and to the entire court.”

That thought made her gasp. Marriage. Children. Turning that vision from Galadriel’s mirror into reality was something that still terrified her. Not even to mention her newly found part over Erebor’s destruction added to his own responsibility towards his people. No. She did not want that.

“I know I am not in a position to offer you anything that you deserve. I’m a king without a kingdom. Erebor is currently held by a living fire drake. But if you return my feelings...and wish to make a family, a home, alongside me…” he gave her a hopeful look, only to have her return him one of pure shock.

“Thorin…I can’t. I can’t accept this,” she said as she tried to return the blade, to his astonishment and disappointment. “ T horin…I don't want to get married. I never could bear the thought of having children. Especially after being forced to witness children having to go through the Reaping, year after year..."

“There is no such thing like your Games here, Katniss. Any child of ours would never be forced to face such a thing.”

“How can you know that? Your grandfather was beheaded during a battle…your father disappeared. We barely escaped with our lives from the Goblins and Orcs…I can't bring myself to raise children just so they have to face this sort of fate." 

"It will be different. Once we reclaim the mountain…any children of ours will never have to endure this. Erebor’s wealthy is beyond anything you can imagine, Mizin. They would never need to go through the sort of hardships we went."

"Even if you reclaim Erebor...you cannot guarantee that your kingdom will always be in peace, can you?" her glare was intense, but so was his.

"No. But I can promise to do everything in my power to avoid war." 

Katniss was taken back by the regal air around him when made this pledge. Thorin’s eyes were locked on hers, and his fingers were touching her hand. She was, once again, surprised by how such a small gesture could set her entire body aflame.

“Please, reconsider my proposal, Mizin. I know you want this as much as I do.”

“Thorin…you are only saying that because you don’t know what I’ve done.”

“What do you mean?” he asked with a frown. 

She sighed. She would need to share what she had done with him.

“Back in the future…when the rebels decided to go on with Gale’s idea to explode the Nut, we exploded Erebor. I’m sorry, I didn’t know,” Katniss did not look him in the eyes while she confessed her crimes, dreading to see the disappointment and revulsion stamped on his face. However, it was nothing but sheer confusion, the main feeling upon his semblance.

“What do you mean, you exploded Erebor?”

“I’ve been to Erebor before. Well, I knew it as District Two, your mountain was the Nut we exploded. Do you remember? How I was shot by a man from Two?”

Thorin frowned with a heavy heart. Yes, he remembered. It happened just before she woke up in the Shire. Erebor was the place where she had been shot. And now he thought about it, he was surprised that he did not connect the dots yet. Though, to be fair, the many buildings she described that surrounded the mountain did not exist yet. 

Katniss, who was still avoiding looking him in the eyes, stood up. Fearing that she would run away, Thorin did the same and grabbed her hand, forcing her to remain where she was. 

“You did not. That is the future you came here to change. And you will change it. Do you hear me?”

At that moment, she looked nothing like the fierce female warrior who had killed Azog and the Great Goblin, only a few hours ago. She was shaking and looked as frail as a wounded prey in the locked aim of an experienced hunter. Small teardrops started falling from her eyes despite all her effort to hold them back. She was as vulnerable as she had been the day he invaded her room to help her with her nightmares in Bree. 

He pulled her closer to an embrace and began soothing her by stroking her back. She was covered from the sweat, dirt, and grime from the road. Thorin was certain that he did not smell like roses either. But even when she was in such state, he could not help but find her gorgeous. 

“Wh-what if…what if I can’t change these things? What if…”  _ What if you die _ , she could not bring herself to voice the scene that she had seen in Galadriel’s mirror. 

“You will change it, Mizin. I have all confidence that you will; I’m pretty sure you have probably done some changes already.”

“H-how… can you be so sure of this?” she asked, her voice still shaken by her sobs.

“You just killed two leaders of the enemy. If this is not making any difference, I’m not sure what else would…”

Her breath started to calm down slightly. He was right. She was likely to be changing things. After all, it had been Azog, the Orc, that had killed  _ him _ on that vision, she was sure of it. And not even Azog would be able to survive an arrow shot straight to his eye-socket. She slowly broke their embrace, feeling a bit embarrassed by how much weakness she had just shown him. 

Thorin caught the sword he had forged for her from the grass and handed it back to her. She glared from him to the sword, unsure if she should take it or not.

“Please, Mizin, take the sword. It is yours. Even if you don’t want to be my wife, it won’t change the fact that my heart will always belong to you,”

“But Thorin…” she started, but he silenced with a stern look.

“I’m not sure if the death of Azog will be enough to keep these Orcs away from us. We are a few days ahead, but the enemy can move fast. You only have one arrow left. I cannot allow you to be unarmed. Not when there are so many perils on this journey. You will take the sword Katniss, this is an order.”

She frowned at his last words, but she took it nonetheless. Thorin had a point. The journey was dangerous, and she could not rely on only a single arrow and her two hidden knives to protect her if they were attacked. She would have to ask Dwalin to push her harder than ever on their training sessions now. Thorin gave a grunt of approval when she tied her new weapon around her waist. 

\---------------------------------

On their way back to the camp, Katniss spotted a wild white flower that she knew far too well because she had been named after it. Thorin was a bit confused when he saw she kneeling down at the edge of the stream and started to dig down with her own hands. It did not take long until she was able to retrieve three small potatoes with a victorious smile on her face and show it to Thorin as if it was a trophy. 

“Katniss. As my father said, as long we can find ourselves, we should never starve…" 

“Were you named after a potato?” Thorin asked, not believing what he had just heard.

She grinned and confirmed it with a small nod before she started to collect the nearby remaining potatoes. Thorin shook his head in amusement before he knelt down to aid Katniss in retrieving her namesake vegetable.

The smell of meat being cooked informed them that Kili and Fili had been successful on their hunt before they could catch a glimpse of the campsite. As soon they returned, there was a small commotion and bags of coins were exchanged among some members of the company. Kili looked particularly disappointed. 

Both Thorin and Katniss frowned at that behaviour, but neither said anything about it. Katniss quickly went back to her spot and started to fiddle with Finnick’s old rope, that had somehow made it through the goblin tunnels and the fight against the Orcs and Wargs. 

Thorin, on the other hand, pulled Dwalin and Balin a bit further away from the company to confess what had happened and seek their advice.

“What dae ye mean by she refused the court? The lassie is carryin’ yer sword!” Dwalin’s voice went louder than he had intended, and Thorin was glad for taking them away from the company’s ear sight before they started that conversation.

“Only because I ordered her to.”

“Thorin! Ye cannat force these things!”

“She has only one arrow left. We are open in the wild. She needs a proper weapon…”

There was a mortal silence as both sons of Fundin were unable to disagree with Thorin’s logic this time. Balin was the first who started to speak his mind.

“Thorin, still…I’m sure we could find another solution to this matter. Ordering the Lassie to carry your sword doesn’t seem like the right approach,”

“I will  _ not  _ have her unarmed.”

“Everybody is going to assume the courting is on…”

“I don’t care. The only thing I want is to keep her safe,”

Both brothers looked at each other and took a deep breath in resignation. They obviously also wanted the girl to be armed if they were attacked. There was no argument regarding that fact.

“Do you know why she refused to court you? I’m sorry if I am being too bold, but the Lassie did seem very comfortable with your presence up there at the Carrock,” Balin asked seriously.

It was Thorin’s turn to give them a deep sigh, as he wondered how much he wanted to share with them.

“She said she is scared of having children of her own.” 

Both sons of Fundin gave him a shocking disturbing glare.

“She has witnessed way too many young ones dying. You know her story. She is afraid of being forced to witness this happening to her own,” Thorin started to explain her logic, even if he did not fully understand it himself.

“That wee Lassie has been through a lot,” Dwalin said with a stern look at where Katniss was now sleeping.

“Aye,” Thorin agreed sadly.

“Maybe…” Balin also caught a glimpse of the only female of their company, “Maybe not all is lost, my friend. Maybe she just needs some time and will change her mind… maybe she will change her mind when she realises how precious little pebbles are for our people,”

Thorin grunted. He did not feel like sharing that Katniss had also confessed having helped to explode their mountain sometime in the future. Even though he said it was all fine to ease her feelings of guilt about it, he still needed to get his own head around that.

\-----------------------------------------

Once they were all fed, Thorin allowed the company to have a well-needed rest, despite still being quite earlier in the day. Even Gandalf fell asleep with the rest of the company. However, before the sunset, he decided that they all should try to push a little bit harder and cover as much as they could before nightfall. After all, they were in the middle of summer, and the days were still longer. Besides, there was always the possibility that the orcs which had been led by Azog could decide to carry on chasing them, even after their leader’s death. And during his little scouting earlier with Katniss, informed him that the stream was getting bigger, not too far from where they were. And their lot stank. They were in desperate need of a good wash.

*

As soon as she was awake, Balin presented Katniss with some cold mutton and rabbit that they had saved for her. She was glad they did so because after having skipped their last meal in exchange for getting some extra rest, she was starving. 

It did not take long for the company to break camp, as they had unfortunately lost the majority of their belongs and provisions in Goblitown. As they walked alongside the stream during the following couple of hours, Katniss could not help but wonder about the unbelievable twist that her life had taken in these last couple of months.

If anybody had ever told her that one day she would be back in time, travelling alongside a wizard, a hobbit, and thirteen dwarves she would think that person’s mind had probably been affected by tracker jackers. However, there she was, devoting her entire soul to aiding their quest of reconquering homeland. 

As if that wasn’t strange enough, there was also Thorin and their current, mutual, growing feelings. Without realising what was happening, she had fallen for him deeper and quicker than she ever thought to be possible. But he wanted things that she wasn’t ready to give. And she probably never would. Despite his apparent forgiveness for the part she and her friends still could play at the destruction of the Loney Mountain, there was also the lingering pressure of having to change things so a better version of the future could exist. 

Katniss never thought one would be able to feel so many mixed feelings at the same time, but there she was. Scared about the future, consumed by guilt, and confused about what she should do about her feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I managed to update another chapter in 2020! Happy new year everyone!
> 
> Please review!?
> 
> xx


	20. Chapter 20: Big bears and Cultural clashing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry about the long wait.
> 
> Happy birthday to my beta Nauze! Thanks for helping me with everything. And thank you AppoApples for helping me to see what this chapter needed. They also have some love fanfics, go and check it out.

The sun was beginning to fade when Thorin decided that they had walked enough and, therefore, should set up camp for the second time that day. Once again, Katniss had been excused from their usual daily tasks. Despite her grunts of annoyance at not being included in their daily chores, she ended up deciding to use that free time to wash in a nearby small stream. Thorin and the others pretended not to hear the complaints that left her lips as she left the company to find some privacy further ahead.

As she cleaned away the dirt and grime from her body and clothes, her mind could not help but wonder about the recent developments in her relationship with Thorin. She gritted her teeth, irritated with the realisation that she was behaving pretty much like a silly Capitol bimbo girl every time the majestic dwarven king was around. 

The guilt she felt for the role she somehow had played at Erebor’s destruction in a distant possible future still remained, even with Thorin’s affirmation that the future she experienced would likely no longer exist. His unexpected proposal, and also her prompt refusal, did not make things better. Despite that, every inch of her body still craved his touch. She cursed him for having blown what they were having, and she cursed herself for not being able to give what he needed. 

When she returned to their camp, she was informed that she had been given the first watch alongside Gandalf, who had volunteered. As she had been the person who had slept the most at their previous stop, she found Thorin’s decision to be more than fair. It wasn’t hard for her grey eyes to lock onto Thorin’s penetrating vivid blue ones. She felt her heart skipping fast. It was like their old gazing contests all over again. 

This time, however, she did not feel like she wanted to win. She gave a small nod to thank him for trusting her to be on patrol, even though she only had one arrow left. He nodded back, and with her heart still pounding as if she had just sprinted a mile, she turned her face away from him. She then went to stay near Gandalf, who was making splendid smoke rings, was sitting. Most of the rest of their company was already fast asleep. 

Patrolling with Gandalf was a quiet and calm affair. They did not exchange a single word the whole time. However, that wasn’t the only time that she had been left alone with the wizard at that camping spot. During the following morning, as soon the members of the company were done with breakfast, it was decided that they would not wait to get to the Anduin river to have a proper wash. So she stayed behind, with Gandalf being her solo companion once again. 

Her companions at the stream did not seem to be taking any precautions at being quiet, if the noises of laughter and merry tunes sung in their boisterous native language was anything to judge them by. Nonetheless, the wizard remained quiet and still as a statue, looking at her as if he was looking through her soul.

“Why do I feel like you want to tell me something?” she bluntly asked, unable to refrain herself any longer.

“Is there anything you would like me to say?”

“I… I don’t know…” she began uncertainly but then the image of District Two, well,  _ Erebor _ , came to her mind. “Do you really believe I can change what happened in the future?”

“I believe that you already have, my dear.” Gandalf’s kind smile made it feel like a small child who had just learnt to walk.

“Do you...?”

“You have eliminated not only one, but two powerful enemies not long ago, have you not?”

“Azog…” Katniss gave him a stern glare.

“And the chief of the Globins, yes. And let’s not forget about the trolls,” Gandalf complemented, making Katniss’ eyes open wide in surprise. “You are building quite the reputation here, Miss Everden. You are certainly calling some attention upon yourself. I’m honestly intrigued to see what is the next big thing we can expect from you.”

Katniss felt her face burn as Gandalf dropped his praises on her lap, making her feel an urge to look away from him.

“There is something else…”

“And what would that be, my dear?” 

“It is about Erebor. I’ve been there before.”

After hearing her comment, Gandalf immediately changed his casual body posture to a more serious stance.

“I’m sorry, Katniss,” he said full of pity and compassion. “If it makes you feel better, I do not believe you should count yourself accountable for that District’s fate.”

Katniss was baffled for a couple of seconds, trying to digest what the ancient wizard had told her. But it did not take more than ten seconds for her to realise what he had meant, and immediately frown her eyebrows and shout with daggers in her voice.

“You knew it! You knew that Two and Erebor were the same place! You knew it and you didn’t tell me!” 

Taken aback by her sudden outburst, Gandalf’s showed nothing but surprise. He took a step back and started mumbling.

“Oh, well, Miss Everdeen, I don’t see how this small detail like that would change any…”

But Katniss quickly cut him off before he had a chance to finish his phrase.

“Small detail? You made me look like a fool!” 

“Knowing that wouldn’t have done you any favours in getting you settled with the members of this company.”

“I had the right to know!” 

“And now you do. So tell me now, child, how is that making you feel?”

While the word ‘bad’ came to mind, Katniss refused to answer the grey wizard. Instead, she carried on fuming rage through her eyes.

“Telling you before wouldn’t make you feel any better, but would likely make you carry this burden for much longer. At least now we do possess some proof that your passing through this age is certainly making some changes…”

“So you really believe that what happened in Two might never happen now?”

“I cannot say that with certainty but it is a possibility. Just try not to dwell too much on it. There is no way for us to know. It will be much better to focus your energies on more urgent, present matters, such as our current shortage of supplies”

Katniss did not reply to his last comment. Instead, she stomped furiously away from the grey wizard. She knew he had a fair point but that did not mean she liked or agreed with it in the slightest. Katniss had only walked a couple of steps away from Gandalf when she noticed some weird marks on the top of a red pine tree that immediately caught her attention. Her blood went cold. She hadn’t seen that before but she had been warned of it by her father.

“Gandalf…” she called, a bit louder than a whisper, as she remained standing still in front of the clawed tree with her heart beating fast. The wizard promptly answered her call, and before she knew it, he was examining the signs with the same attention she had done.

“I can’t believe that I almost forgot him,” he said as if he had just remembered that he had gone out of the house and left the kettle on the stove. 

“Forgot who?” she asked with a frown.

“There is a house, it’s not far from here, where we might take refuge.”

“Whose house?”

“You will see it soon enough; you better start packing, Miss Everdeen. We have several miles to cover before nightfall. I’m going to fetch the others.”

And without giving her any more explanations, Gandalf turned around and started walking with long strides to the stream where she knew that thirteen dwarrows and a hobbit were probably having fun. Meanwhile, she remained there, feeling more lost than she had been before she started asking him questions.

* * *

Katniss wasn’t sure of what Gandalf had shared with Thorin and the others at the stream, but their pace increased considerably after that. It was much later that day that the company crossed the Anduin river just before nightfall. Despite Thorin’s wariness at getting them all wet for the second time in the day, and so close to sundown, Gandalf was insistent that they had to reach Beorn’s lodges sooner than later. They had just reached the other side when Bilbo pointed at the top of the Carrock, where the eagles had dropped them less than two days ago. Even though they had to squint their eyes to see it, they had spotted a few Orc warriors mounted on wargs, announcing that they were still being hunted. That was more than enough incentive to keep them following Gandalf’s lead at a hasty jogging pace. 

A few miles ahead, they spotted the large farmhouse surrounded by oak trees just as the twilight started. However, their relief of finally reaching the destination they had been pursuing throughout the entire day had been short-lived. A loud grunt appearing from behind them made everybody suddenly stop and turn around, only to be confronted with the most gigantic and enormous black bear they have all seen. 

“To the house! Run!” Gandalf shouted at the group, which despite the collective shock, did not require a second invitation.

Everybody started sprinting at once. Katniss was particularly impressed with how the chubby Bombur was, all of a sudden, the fastest of them all. They flew by the tall oak trees, zoomed down the hill, raced through the meadow until they reached an open door that seemed to be the entrance gate to the farmhouse they had been trying to reach before nightfall. They carried on charging until they got in front of a heavy ancient oak door, with a locked iron bar preventing their entrance. 

Being the fast runner she was, it was not a surprise that Katniss was one of the first people to arrive in front of the door, just after Kíli did. They were desperately trying to open it, but nothing seemed to be doing the trick. The bear gave another huff, even louder, informing them that he was getting close to them. She tried to get out of the way from the dwarves, as she knew they were much more likely to have some success on it than she was. However, it was only Thorin that managed to open it. Immediately they all squeezed inside as quickly as it was possible, and just as they were about to close the door, the bear’s colossal head seemed to prevent them from doing so.

Most of the dwarrow man immediately pushed the door back, trying to keep the beast away from the barn they had just entered. Katniss stayed at the back, next to Bilbo and Gandalf. She promptly got the last arrow from her quiver and loaded her bow. She would have only one shot. She wouldn’t be able to use the explosive function of the arrow, or she would end up killing not only the bear but everybody else. And with a beast that size, she knew she would have to aim for its eyes, if she wanted to have any hope of slaying it for good. She tried to ignore her fast heartbeat that was fuelled by adrenaline and their recent speedy escape from that very same bear. She knew that her rapid breathing would do her no favours on getting a perfect shot, but she had no choice but to get it right.

Fortunately for all the involved, it was not necessary for her to use her last arrow. Everyone gave a huge sigh of relief when the bear was locked outside from the barn.

“What is that?” Ori asked.

“That… is our host,” Gandalf started making everybody look at him with shock. “His name is Beorn, and he is a skin-changer.”

“What do you mean?” Katniss asked, already fearing his answer.

“Sometimes he’s a huge black bear; sometimes he’s a great strong man. The bear is unpredictable, but the man can be reasoned with. However, he is not overfond of dwarves.”

“He’s leaving!” Ori who was looking through the keyhole informed them.

“Come away from there! It’s not natural, none of it. It’s obvious: he’s under some dark spell.” Dori pulled his younger brother from the door as if he was expecting Ori to become a skin-changer if he remained there for much longer.

“Don’t be a fool; he’s under no enchantment but his own,” Gandalf said glaring at Dori.

“Alright now, get some sleep, all of you. You’ll be safe here tonight… I hope.” Gandalf added the last part after they all heard a particularly loud wail that was probably done by Beorn himself outside.

While the majority of them were already on the hunt for a nice soft spot to spend the rest of the night, Katniss joined Thorin, Dwalin, Balin and Fíli who were scouting the place that was going to be their lodge that day. There was hay everywhere, a strong smell of manure, and more domesticated animals together than she had ever seen in her life before. Ponies, horses, cows, goats; just to name a few of them. 

However, what was the most impressive about that place was how gigantic some working tools and furniture seemed to be. She could not help but think she was probably looking like a small toddler once again, when it was clear that she would need to stand up on her tiptoes to get a glance at what was on the top of the dining table. And considering she was one of the tallest members of their company, being shorter than only Gandalf, Thorin, and Kíli, she knew they were bound to have an interesting breakfast time when it was time for them to cook on that rudimentary kitchen and seat on that table. 

“What sort of people live here?” Fíli asked from the other side of the barm as he examined a hammer that was bigger than his entire muscly arm.

“Nai hobbit, tha’ is for sure…” Dwalin scratched his beard as he sized up the gargantuan broom that was pressed against the wall.

There was another door on the back, which was thankfully already locked, though Thorin decided that it would be better if they barricaded it just for good measure.

They were doing that when Katniss was startled by a bee bigger than her hand and ended up tripping over, only to be rescued by no one else than Thorin Oakenshield himself, who was not far behind her. As she tumbled over her feet, he managed to catch her by the waist before she could end up falling flat on the floor. She felt her face burn in embarrassment before she even got a chance to look him in the eyes.

“Careful,  Amrâlimê,” he said the second word in a whisper, making her entire body shiver. When she looked up to meet his stare, Thorin wasn’t baring the half-smirk she had expected to see on him whenever he was being flirtatious. Instead, it was sorrow and pain which marred his semblance this time. That realisation made her immediately feel something shattering inside her chest as well.

“Thorin…” she whispered back, wanting to do nothing else but kiss him. However, it did not take long until Balin gave a loud cough to call their attention. Thorin, who was still holding her, placed her back to the floor and stayed at a respectful distance at once. It was the first time that Katniss had witnessed his cheeks going red, and he looked like a schoolboy that had been caught doing some mischief.

“Everything seems clear. Do you believe that there is a need to set a watch tonight?”

“No. Gandalf says that we are safe here. Let’s all have a full night of rest.”

Balin nodded at Thorin’s decision and the four dwarrow were about to start walking back to the place where the rest of their company was sleeping when Katniss decided to intervene.

“Wait! Thorin, can we have a word?”

Taken aback at her request, Thorin gave a quick look to the other dwarrowman before answering her. 

“Sure.”

Fíli and Dwalin exchanged a smug glance but Balin seemed to take that much more seriously than the other two.

“Should I stay behind to…chaperone you?”

Katniss felt her heartbeat increase and her face burned as soon she heard Balin say those words. She immediately decided to look away to hide her own embarrassment from the others.

“No. We won’t be long,” Thorin said without taking his eyes off the young female. 

Soon, the others moved off, leaving them alone again. Thorin crossed his arms in expectation of what she had to say. Meanwhile, Katniss returned his intense gaze as she mentally cursed herself for having asked to have a word with him in the first place. She wanted both to run away, and to throw herself in his arms at the same time.

“Go on…” Thorin prompted as she did not give any signs of starting the conversation.

“Can we just…” She briefly turned her head away and gave a sigh of resignation “I don’t know… can we just go back to how we were before…” 

She started to feel her face burn again, whereas Thorin frowned as he tried to understand what exactly she wanted him to do.

“How we were before what?”

“How we were before you asked me to marry you!” 

She somehow managed to spit out the thought that had been on her mind since he had proposed. Thorin’s eyes were wide open as he was caught by surprise by her request.

“Look… we were finally starting to get on well again. I was enjoying the thing we were having. And I’m pretty sure that you were enjoying that too. Can we just… carry on enjoying each other’s company and… just forget about any thoughts of marriage?”

Thorin’s muscle’s  stiffened and his eyes continued to stare at her in complete disbelief of what she was suggesting. 

“What? Did I say something wrong?” she asked.

“Are you asking me to treat you like… a lady of leisure, Katniss?”

“No! I just… I don’t want to officially court, or marry, but at the same time, I want to be with you.”

“Katniss! What you are proposing is… it is highly immoral!”

“But… we were getting on so well before...”

“Then accept my court.”

“Thorin...”

“No, you listen to me. I cannot treat you like you are an… adventure. You are my treasure of all treasures, ghivâshelûh, mizin. You are  _ everything _ to me. Do you really believe I would lower myself to take advantage of you?”

“I think you are making it seem a much bigger deal than what it is.”

She stepped ahead to narrow the gap between them and placed one of her hands at Thorin’s trimmed beard and started stroking it, making him close his eyes and let a sigh of pleasure escape his lips. 

“Katniss…” he whispered, giving her a warning as his body stiffened again.

Encouraged by the way his body seemed to be quickly responding to her touch, she seized that opportunity to press her lips against his with passion and haste, fearing that she would lose the courage to take the initiative if she waited any longer. He responded with the eagerness of someone who had walked days through the desert and had finally found an oasis. 

Soon, one of his large hands was travelling from her back to her waist, hips and thigh, while the other was finding its way through her long wavy hair. Her answer to his boldness was to pull him even closer and began to give him some small kisses around his neck. 

"I want you to braid my hair," she whispered in his ear.

That was enough to wake an even more primordial urge inside Thorin’s lower body. He grabbed her by the waist and carried her as if she was a ragged doll, their temples brushing against one another. Her eyes focused on his lips, while she bit her own. He quickly found a soft mount of hay that seemed unused and threw her gently on top of it. 

There was a moment where he contemplated her beauty that almost made him have second thoughts about his reproachable actions, but they were quickly ignored as Katniss pulled him closer to another embrace making him fall on top of her. She opened her legs, embracing his body with them and making both of their groins rub against the other, having nothing but the heavy fabric of their trousers preventing him from entering her core. He knew that he had never been harder, and she let a gasp of both surprise and pleasure escape her lips as she felt it. 

Katniss then found a gap in the fabric in his vest and decided to run her hands through his muscled torso which was hairy and hard as a rock. Thorin had never been touched that way before and was finding harder and harder to keep his own hands to himself and not start to do the very same thing to her.

"Accept my court. Accept my pledge. Take my bead. Be my wife. Be my Queen."

There was a hushed, begging despair in his voice that made her heart ache, because she knew that there was only one answer she could give him.

"I can’t."

He sighed in resignation, and quickly untangled himself from her embrace, and kneeled just in front of where she was laying. 

“Then this is wrong.”

“Thorin, please!” 

“No, Katniss. We cannot carry on doing this if you refuse to commit. I am not going to disgrace you.”

She grunted.

“This is not fair!” 

“Accept my court.” He stared at her, begging, praying to Mahal that this time her answer would be different. “Be my wife.”

“I’m sorry...”

“Then goodnight, Amrâlimê” 

And pressing a last kiss on her temple, he turned his back to her as quickly as he could, as if he was afraid of being caught on her arms again and not be as strong as he had just managed to be this time. As he walked away, he couldn’t help but hear her grunts of frustration. 

Thorin smirked. Maybe they still had a chance to become a true couple after all.

* * *

Only Gandalf was awake, smoking his pipe at the other side of the house, near the barricade they had made last night when Thorin woke up just as the sun was rising. He silently stood up, trying to sneak through his men who were still in deep sleep and loudly snoring. He grinned when he saw Kíli hugging his older brother. Dwalin was still holding his axe even while he was lost to a deep slumber, and Dori was holding both of his brothers with a different hand very tightly. 

However, his eyes only sparkled when he passed through Katniss, who remained hidden away from the other members of their company, at the exact spot on which he had left her. Despite all their recent fights with goblins, wargs, orcs, and escaping from an enormous bear, she did not seem to have any nightmare for the past couple of nights. The thought that she could be starting to heal from some of her traumas was enough to make him smile. 

When he arrived at the place where Gandalf was seated, the wizard immediately offered him some of the weed he was smoking. Without a word, Thorin accepted and filled up his own pipe. They remained in silence for long few minutes, but while the wizard’s sight remained locked on the horizon so that they could still through a gap on the door, Thorin couldn’t stop to send furtive glances to the only female of his company.

“I never thought I would live enough to see this again,” the wizard said in a low voice while he pointed from Katniss to Thorin with his index finger. 

“I beg your pardon?”

“The heir of Durin falling in love for a daughter of man.”

“Katniss also has dwarrow blood. You told us yourself.”

“Yes, but you know that she is much more menfolk than dwarrow. Not the first time this has happened, but it is certainly not a usual occurrence…”

Thorin’s answer was to give a grunt at Gandalf’s commentary. 

“It must not be easy to build something like this with someone so different.”

To that, Thorin gave him an intense glare.

“I just… I wish she would stop being so infuriatingly confusing,” he said, shaking his head as he sneaked another glance at the young woman who remained in deep sleep.

“Infuriatingly confusing?”

“She won’t accept formal courting, but at the same time… my affections doesn’t seem to be unwanted. On the contrary,”

“Did you ever think that your attitudes might have seemed as confusing to her as hers are to you?”

“I’ve been nothing but clear about my intentions with her,” he said with a frown.

“Your intentions, as good as they might be, doesn’t seem to be what this girl needs at the present moment.” 

Thorin’s frown deepened.

“And what would she need that I am failing to provide?”

“Time.”

“Time?”

“Yes, time, Son of Thráin, Son of Thrór.” 

Thorin’s frown did nothing but increase at the wizard’s remarks, so Gandalf put out his pipe to give his full attention to the dwarf in front of him.

“This young woman is from another time, from a different culture, and their way of life is way beyond both mine and your understanding. As if this was not enough, she has suffered more than her fair share, fighting battles that she should never have fought in the first place. And need I remind you, this girl has been forced into an engagement against her will not long ago. It is probably unwise trying to do the same thing again. After everything this poor dear went through, you should count yourself lucky that she is even considering maintaining a relationship with you at all.”

Thorin sighed. He looked again at the girl who was still asleep and completely unaware of the conversation they were having. Gandalf had given him more than enough things for him to ponder. 

* * *

“There is no point in arguing. We won’t be able to go through Mirkwood without Beorn’s help.” Gandalf tried to calm down the company, as Nori and Dwalin couldn’t stop arguing over whether they should try to escape from Beorn’s rage by fleeing, or if they should go ahead and greet the intimidating skinchanger. “We would be hunted down before we got to the forest. ” 

The wizard walked from one side to the other, looking over the company members who were all lined up waiting for instructions. Katniss and Bilbo remained a little further from the others.

“Now, this will require some delicate handling; we must tread carefully. The last person who startled him was torn to shreds.”

Thorin exchanged a meaningful glance with both of his nephews and then looked towards the place where Katniss was calmly petting one of the goats. He was curious by her sudden affection for that farm animal, as until that moment, she had shown nothing but aversion to the idea of getting attached to any animal, even to the pony who carried her all the way to Rivendell. 

"I will go first, and Bilbo, you'll go with me."

"Is-is this a good idea?" The hobbit’s blood seemed to drain out of his face as he started to walk ahead to join the wizard looking like he had been sentenced to death. 

"Yes, now the rest of you just wait here and don't come out until I give the signal."

"Right, wait for the signal," Bofur said, slightly shaken.

"No sudden moves or loud noises, and don’t overcrowd him. Only come out in pairs!” Gandalf then placed his arm around Bilbo and started leaving the barn, only to go back seconds later “Actually, Bombur, you count as two, so you should come out alone.”

Bombur, who was finishing eating a carrot, looked a bit shaken by that request but he nodded in agreement nonetheless. Satisfied that the dwarroman had understood how critical it was for them to make a first good impression with their host, Gandalf left the farmhouse with Bilbo just behind him. There was a generalized tension left inside the room, with Bofur being the one who was spying on what was going on through a window and narrating that with details to the others. 

Thorin knew that they definitely required some food supplies, new cooking equipment and waterskins. Both Katniss and Kíli were also in deep need of new arrows. And considering how close their enemies were from them, he knew that their only chance to escape and get ahead would be by getting some sort of horseback aid. 

“I think he gave the signal, quick!” Bofur urged. 

Dwalin, who was the dwarf who was nearest to the door, adjusted his belt and started walking outside, with his brother Balin not far away from. 

“What’s happening, lad? Is the skin-changer attacking them?” Dori and Glóin asked Bofur at the same time he approached the door, as he wanted to try to get a glimpse of what was going on.

“Oh, he doesn’t look very happy now,” Bofur said looking a bit concerned.

“Is he attacking them?” Ori asked, slightly shaking and fearful.

“Quick, I think Gandalf is giving the sign again!” Bofur urged, and then Glóin and his brother Óin left the safety of Beorn’s halls to join the others. 

While most of the dwarves were holding their breath in anticipation of what would happen, Katniss seemed to have zoned out from the current issue and continued petting the two goats while feeding them some of the hay. Thorin’s attention would swing between the companies’ tension to Katniss who seemed to have decided to distance herself from them that morning.

“Go, go, go!” Bofur urged, and Ori and Dori began to rush away from the room. 

Fíli and Kíli exchanged a glance and then quickly looked at their Uncles as if asking permission for being the next to take their leave. Thorin gave them a quick nod and the young princes immediately made their way to the door.

“Wait,” Bofur whispered as there was a moment where Beorn seemed to have started to feel angered by the presence of so many dwarves. It only took him ten seconds for Gandalf to say something to appease his mood, and soon Bofur was urging them to join the others as well. 

With more than half of their company in the presence of the skin-changer, Thorin went over to place where Katniss remained with the goats. 

“Mizin,” he gently called her with a low husky voice, “it is going to be our turn soon.”

She raised her eyes to face him. Her facial expression completely emotionless as she nodded. He offered his arm and she wrapped her hand around it. They slowly started to walk forwards as if they were about to go on a stroll in the countryside. Meanwhile, Bofur, Bifur and Bombur started to chase Nori, who had thoughts of stealing Bifur’s silver chain. This lead to the four dwarves leaving the house slightly earlier than Gandalf had advised. 

Thorin gave a severe stern glare to the group of dwarrowman who had no time to notice his annoyance, as they were stumbling over each other’s foot as they squeezed past through the door at the very same time. Thorin’s frown increased slightly while Katniss tried to suppress a giggle. They carried on slowly walking towards the door, as he looked back to the young woman. Katniss’ light-hearted smile was enough to make him feel calmer. He noticed that her hair was in desperate need of care, and then he remembered his earlier talk with the wizard and what happened between them the previous night.

“Whenever we have time… can I braid your hair again?”

She opened her eyes widely in shock as she was taken back by his question. They were very near the door now, and it did not escape to either of them Beorn’s question about if there were any more of them. She gave him another smile.

“Sure.”

And after that, they left Beorn’s halls. Thorin left first, with Katniss’ hands holding his muscly arm. Both looked magnificent and regal. The company beamed at them. Beorn’s face softened immediately after he noticed the young female that Thorin Oakenshield held closer to his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review?


	21. Chapter 21: Moments at Queer lodgings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Nauze for helping me to finish this chapter so fast. And Happy Birthday for the adorable AppoApples, a new chapter exactly how you requested! (and now you know the secret to get a chapter written fast, just tell me it is your birthday...)

  
Breakfast at Beorn’s hall was an interesting affair, with grey dogs setting up the table and white sheeps serving porridge and bread rolls. Some of the dwarrowmen offered to help as well but Beorn dismissed them with a wave. Considering that Beorn was twice the size of a normal man, it wasn’t very surprising to find that all kitchenware was unproportionally large to their hands. 

Everyone sat quietly around the table while Gandalf, who was still the one who was doing most of the talking, was quick to narrate their escape from the goblin tunnels and their confrontation with Azog, the Defiler. The company’s spirits were very high, considering that the last time they had a meal served on a table had been at Lord Elrond’s halls in Rivendell. Katniss was sitting just next to Thorin, who was occasionally making a point of brushing his hands against hers only to make her blush.

“So you are the one they call Oakenshield. I had no idea you had a daughter,” Beorn said looking from Katniss to Thorin.

While Thorin gave a grumpy frown to Beorn’s comment, Fíli and Kíli burst into laughter, and many of the others were fighting hard against their urge to join both Durin’s brothers in it. Katniss, who was drinking her pint of milk, spit out some of it back into her mug as she immediately felt her face burn, aghast at being assumed to be Thorin’s daughter. 

“No, no, no, we are not… I’m not...” she started stumbling on her own words as she was overcome by embarrassment, unsure of what to say to their host.

Beorn looked at them lost in confusion. Thorin opened his mouth to say something but he quickly closed it again. What he wouldn’t give to say that Katniss was his betrothed! But he did not want to mess things up with her again, and at the same time, he had no idea what he could say to show they belonged to each other without causing any disrespect or offence. So silent, he remained.

“Oh no, Mister Beorn, the lassie is not our cousin, she is more like our future Queen if you know what I am saying!” Kili was the one who ended up speaking his mind to the skin-changer, making Katniss turn redder than a ripe tomato. 

Beorn raised his eyebrows, surprised by that revelation and started assessing the young woman who was trying her best to ignore everybody in the room. Even Thorin seemed amused by her reaction.

“Why is Bolg, son of Azog the Defiler hunting you?” Beorn’s question was addressed to both Thorin and Katniss, who sat side by side.

“Since when has that scum spawned an heir?” Thorin spitted full of anger. 

“Eew! Those things breed?” Katniss said.

“Thes was a mental image we did nae need tae have,” Dwalin said, shaking his head in disgust.

“Are you sure they are hunting us?” Gandalf asked, looking straight at Beorn who nodded, making the wizard sigh in frustration “Well, that will surely complicate things…” 

“This Bolg will likely try to avenge his father’s death.” Thorin’s voice was full of worry as he looked at Katniss.

“Is this ever going to stop?” Katniss grunted.

“Azog is dead?” Beorn asked, surprised.

“Thanks to our Lassie here…” Balin raised his mug of milk to toast Katniss who was seated on the opposite side he was.

“Is that so?” Beorn looked intensely at her, who quickly nodded in agreement despite her own uneasiness of being put under the spotlight.

“Our heroine is amazing with her bow and arrow, she never misses a shot! Killed the Great Goblin, and three stray trolls on the East Road too,” Gandalf beamed like a proud grandfather.

“Any enemy of goblins, wargs, and orcs is a friend of mine. What do you need?” Beorn said looking straight at her eyes. This time there wasn’t a glint of embarrassment or shame on her semblance.

“We need to get to the Lonely Mountain before the end of autumn. Can you help us?” Katniss asked.

“You are running out of time,” Beorn stated.

“Which is why we must go through Mirkwood,” Gandalf said from the other side of the room.

“A darkness lies upon that forest. Fell things creep beneath those trees. There is an alliance between the Orcs of Moria and the Necromancer in Dol Guldur. I would not venture there except in great need.” 

“We will take the Elven Road. That path is still safe,” Gandalf said.

“Safe? The Wood-Elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin. They’re less wise and more dangerous. But it matters not.”

“What do you mean?” Thorin asked.

“These lands are crawling with Orcs. Their numbers are growing, and you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive.”

“Can you help us?” Katniss repeated her question, looking straight at him. Beorn nodded.

“You are fierce like a lioness cub. You remind me of my own daughter. I will help you and your companions to reach the Elven Road.”

There was a general tension released in the room, with Gandalf along with many dwarves sighing in relief. Thorin was looking at Katniss, beaming with pride by the way she had held her head up high while defending their people’s best interest, just like a true Queen should.

“Your way through Mirkwood is bound to be dark, dangerous, and difficult. Water is not easy to find there, nor is food. There is one stream there, black and strong, that you should neither drink nor bathe in, as it carries enchantments that will make you drowsy and forgetful. 

“But worry not, as I will provide you with new water skins. I will also provide you with material for you to make new arrows and other provisions you might need. I cannot help you inside the forest, you will have to rely on your luck and the food I give you. When you reach the Elven Road, I must ask you to send back my ponies and horse to me.”

“We are very grateful for your help, Master Beorn. In exchange, please, allow me and my men to sharpen your tools, make new horseshoes for your ponies and horses, and fix your fence that I noticed requires some mending,” Thorin said, offering their services. 

Katniss looked back at him fully understanding what was likely to be going on inside Thorin’s head, as she also hated the feeling of being indebted to others.

“I don’t need help, but your lot is free to do as you see fit,” Beorn said. “Now, you should start preparing the things you will need, autumn is upon us, and you still have a long journey ahead.”

* * *

  
The few days they spent at Beorn’s halls were filled with work. Out of principle, Thorin decided that the company should honour all the chores he had suggested to Beorn and more. Katniss fully supported his decision. Her pride demanded her to pay her debts, a trait that apparently Thorin also shared. Hence why the heir of Erebor decided to personally sharpen and improve Beorn’s axe and all the other working tools that he possessed. He was, after all, a master smith, and better than anyone else in their company at that craft.

He gave Fili the responsibility of repairing Beorn’s fence. Meanwhile, Kili was tasked with helping him to make new arrows and two new bows, as Katniss’s one was the only one that survived the goblin tunnels. Oin was collecting useful herbs, brewing some medicine that they could need on the road, while his brother Gloin was making some pots to store them with Balin. Dwalin was ensuring that everyone’s weapons and armour were sharpened and combat read. Dori and Nori were responsible for repairing everybody’s clothes that needed mending, making new blankets, and spare clothes for the ones who had lost theirs. Ori would spend most of his time updating their travel journal, as he hadn’t had a single chance to do that since the Goblin tunnels. Bombur, Bofur and Bifur spent most of their time making food for the company members, for both their journey and for the day. 

Thorin did not give a task for both Katniss and Bilbo, though the hobbit seemed to be happy enough to join the Ur brothers at the kitchen when he wasn’t strolling around and exploring Beorn’s farmland. Katniss, on the other hand, felt very lost in the beginning, when Thorin did not give her a task as he had done with the others. When she asked him about it, he said that he wasn’t sure of which skill sets she possessed, but that she was more than welcome to help then out if that was something she wanted. 

Katniss felt a bit lost after that, as she was certain that the only thing she was genuinely good at was poaching. However, after a couple of hours walking around Beorn's halls, she ended up deciding that she would have a go at making goat cheese. Though it was usually her sister Prim who made the cheese they sold at the market, that didn’t mean that Katniss did not know how to do it. So she requested some white cloths from Dori and started working on milking the goats who were still breastfeeding their kids. Making goat cheese was a long process that filled her every morning. However, she enjoyed doing something that they would be able to take on their journey but also leave some behind as a thank-you gift for Beorn.

The remainder of her day she spent learning and improving her sword fighting with Dwalin and enjoying the comforts of living in a house again. She had been the only company member that had been given a room, as Beorn insisted that she should stay in his daughter’s old room. 

The room was as rustic as the rest of his house, though it possessed a little feminine touch in the flowery details on the walls and furniture. Being able to sleep in a bed again and having some privacy back was definitely something she had missed. During their last day at Beorn’s house, she decided to enjoy what she had and took her time to fill a large wooden tub with warm water inside her bedroom. The soap bar that Beorn had given her smelled like honey. She used it to clean her hair and body, perfuming them with that sweet scent. She stayed inside the tub until it was too cold for her to carry on enjoying that experience. 

During the evening, she decided to wear one of the dresses that had once belonged to Beorn’s daughter. Their host had offered them to her many times, but she always refused as dresses were not as nearly as practical as her trousers. But today was their last night there, and she thought that it would be a good idea to save her own clothes for the road. Even though she disliked wearing dresses, she picked one that was plain but caught her fancy and wore it with her wavy hair loose and wet. 

When she arrived in the kitchen, Bofur was singing, Nori, Dori, and Oin were playing some instruments and most of the dwarrow men were clapping and dancing. Even Bilbo seemed taken by the festivities and had allowed Kili and Fili to drag him through their boisterous dancing steps. Gandalf, Beorn, and Thorin sat in the corner, watching their interaction instead of joining in, but with a light-hearted expression on their faces.

“Lassie! Come and join us!” Gloin grabbed her hand and Bifur got hold of the other as they led her to the core of their party. 

Their happiness was truly contagious. Soon, Katniss saw her clumsy self trying to keep up with their foreign dance moves. Somehow it reminded her of some of the few festivities she had witnessed at District 12, usually when families celebrated their loved one’s escape from that year’s Reaping. She exchanged a quick glance with Thorin, who was smiling and raised a cup at her. 

At the end of Bofur’s song, everybody clapped and some of the dwarves began to request the only female to sing one of her own songs for them. After some small persuasion, she ended up settling for a popular love song in her District that was quite catchy and had a countryside beat that reminded her of some of the dwarves’ own tunes. Almost as soon as she began to sign, the company members who had musical instruments picked up a tune that matched her song.

_My heart's stupid and that's not maybe._   
_Can't blame Cupid, he's just a baby._   
_Shoot it, boot it, execute it,_   
_Still comes a-crawling to you-hoo._

_Heart's gone funny, it won't hear reason._   
_You're like honey, you bring the bees in._   
_Sting it, wing it, give it a fling, it_   
_Still comes a-crawling to you._

_I wish it mattered that_   
_You chose to smash it up._   
_How come you shattered that_   
_Thing I love with?_

_Did you feel flattered that_   
_You could just trash it up?_   
_That's why you battered that_   
_Thing I love with._

_Trapped my ticker but haven't freed it._   
_People snicker at how you treat it._   
_Snare it, tear it, strip it bare, it_   
_Still comes a-crawling to you-hoo._

_Heart's been jumping just like a rabbit._   
_Blood keeps pumping but that's just habit._   
_Drain it, pain it, I'm insane, it_   
_Still comes a-crawling to you._

_Burn it, spurn it, don't return it,_   
_Break it, bake it, overtake it,_   
_Wreck it, deck it, what the heck, it_   
_Still comes a-crawling to you._

“Bravo!” Bilbo Baggins that probably had more than his share of honey-mead cheered as she finished her song, before he fell face-first on the floor, making every company member laugh at his expense. 

“Lady Katniss, who is this Cupid?” Ori asked her just before he let out a loud burp, making the young dwarf embarrassed and everybody else laugh even harder. Instead of answering his question, Katniss raised one eyebrow and gave him a glare. Suddenly the company members seemed to reach a consensus that a burping contest was another good idea of entertainment. Katniss just shook her head from side to side after looking at the dwarrow men and walked to the table where Thorin, their host and the wizard were still sitting. 

Truth be told, Katniss had not spent much time with Thorin during their short stay at Beorn’s halls as she had hoped they would. His determination in paying for Beorn’s troubles for hosting guests that had led an entire Orc pack to his borders was enough to keep him working from dawn to dusk. Although they shared some brief occasions, like when he brought her new arrows and asked her to test them, or when she brought him a tomato and goat cheese sandwich while he was working, these moments weren’t many. And she missed his company. Greatly.

“This was quite something, little fawn…” Beorn said “I’m happy to see you wearing Bren’s old dress. But now, I should take my leave. Remember, do not go outside, or you might face a horrible death. I will be meeting my kin tonight.”

“Aye.” Thorin nodded.

“Good evening, master Beorn. We will ensure that everybody stays inside,” Gandalf said and Beorn nodded back at them before he left his lodgings.

Katniss only nodded, as she seemed to be too busy filling up her plate and shoving some bread rolls and vegetable stew inside her mouth, with a bit more haste than it would be considered polite.

“Take a breath, Mizin, the food is not going to disappear.”

“Can you really guarantee that? With this lot?” she said looking at the other members of the company who seemed to still be engaged in their burping contest.

“We would never let you starve,” he said.

That was true. She was usually the first one to be offered food when they were on the road. It was a dwarrow tradition, for women and children to be fed first when food was scarce, or so she had been told. That evening, however, they did not wait for her to grace them with her presence to dig in. And even though there was still plenty of food on the table, it was clear that everybody had already eaten at least once. Completely ignoring Thorin’s request, she started to lick some of the sauce that had spilt on her fingers.

“Will I need to find a tutor to teach you good manners once we move back to Erebor, Katniss?”

She made a silly face and started eating with even worse manners than before. Thorin grunted. Yes, Effie Trinket would be mortified. She used that moment to steal his mug and had a sip. As she had expected, the beverage was alcoholic, though much sweeter than she imagined it would be. 

“You lovebirds must excuse me. It is about time for someone to go there and take our burglar out of his misery,” Gandalf said as he stood up and went to retrieve Bilbo who was still laying down on the floor and leaving Katniss and Thorin alone.

They remained in silence watching the others who had started singing a famous drinking song in Khuzdul. Thorin was tapping his hands on the table and humming the rhythm of the song. 

“Gosh, I’m going to miss Beorn’s honey cakes!” Katniss said, licking the honey that now coated her fingers.

“We are taking some for the road. He said they won’t spoil for at least two weeks.”

“I wish we could spend more time here. I’m going to miss this peace.”

“You can stay if you want,” he said, even though that made his heart twist in a funny way. “You should stay. It is safer for you here…”

“So you think you can get rid of me that easily?” 

“That is not what I meant!”

“I know. But who is gonna save your ass if I’m not there, uh?”

To that comment, he remained quiet. He reached for her hand and gave it a light squeeze. She squeezed it back.

“That was an interesting song that you’ve chosen, Mizin. What is the story behind it?”

“I don’t know. It is just an old song from my District.” 

They remained quiet for a moment, still holding hands and watching their happy troop sing and dance to another made-up song about bees, bears, and goats. It was Katniss who spoke first.

“You know…you still haven’t braided my hair.”

Thorin felt a wave of excitement run through his veins. He turned his head to look at her and noticed that her hair was nearly dry. 

“We still have time.”

It was then that Katniss stood up and offered her hand for him. He accepted and allowed her to lead him away from the kitchen and communal area of Beorn’s halls. Neither of them seemed to notice or care about the stares, whispers and cheers that the company members threw in their direction as they left their sight.

Both their hearts were beating fast. There was a tension generated by the anticipation of the moment they were about to share. Still holding his hand, Katniss started to open her bedroom door. Thorin froze on the spot when he realised where she was taking him.

“Are you asking me to go to your room?”

“Is that a problem…?”

“Katniss…” he warned. 

“It is not as if you’ve never been in my room before,” she said, but he remained confused.  
“Bree, remember?”

They remained in the doorway for a few seconds, their hands were still intertwined. He took a deep breath, removed a horseshoe from his pocket, placed it on the door handle and followed her inside. Just to have her gently closing the door behind them.

“Why did you put that on the door?” 

“Dwarrow tradition,” he said, making her give him a questioning look. “They will know better than interrupt us if they see that. Don’t worry, Amrâlimê.”

Without taking his eyes from hers, Thorin brought Katniss’ hand that he was still holding to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on it. She shivered and closed her eyes, savouring every second they were sharing. He narrowed the gap between them and slowly brought their foreheads together. She grabbed the back of his neck with her free hand and calmly pressed her lips against his. 

Gently. Gradually. They kissed each other with the sluggish pace of a couple who were no longer on the road, running for their lives. Serenely. Smoothly. Trying to demonstrate the extent of their affection through the softness of their touch. Unhurriedly. Thorin allowed her lips to leave his and started to stroke her chin. With her eyes still closed, she raised her hand to touch his.

“Where would you like to do this, Mizin?” he said playing with her wavy curls.

“We can sit on my bed.” She opened her eyes and they shared an intense gaze before he nodded. 

This time it was he who took the lead and guided her to her own bed. He was finally able to catch a glance at some details in the room. The wooden tub full of cold water, some old toys on a shelf, revealing that Beorn’s daughter probably had died younger than he had assumed. As he tried to wave off these dark thoughts, Katniss sat down cross-legged in the middle of the bed. She looked at him, invitingly, and he sat behind her, his muscly legs hugging her tiny frame just as they had done inside that cave. 

Immediately, she allowed a pleasured sigh to escape her lips, making his lips turn into a smug grin. To make her go even crazier, he parted her hair and started kissing her bare nape and shoulder blade. The feeling of his lips, tongue and rough beard scratching her skin was enough to make her moan again. She squeezed his thigh making him howl. 

Trying to ignore his urge to carry on teasing her, he quickly took his own hair comb and a small bottle with a special lotion. Gently, he started parting her hair. He had dreamed of that moment for quite some time now, and he wanted to savour it. So he did it as slowly as he could if only to make that moment last longer. Humming a soft love song in Khuzdul, he began to braid a variation of the same braid that she usually wore. 

He braided her hair bit by bit, enjoying the feeling of her soft hair on his fingertips. There was no point in hasting. Gently. Relishing the feeling of her body so close to his. Enjoying the smell of her skin mixed with the honey from Beorn’s soap. Tasting the softness of her skin with his callouses strong hands. Appreciating the noises she made when he made an unexpected move that brought her pleasure. Luxuriating on the way her hips moved, making his desire for her increase as she rubbed her body against his. 

This time he had decided to leave the massage to the end. He remembered that she had enjoyed it that last time. He could feel the tension in her shoulders unravelling as he worked on them. The King in Exile then started sucking the side of her neck, leaving a purple bruise behind. She was wiggling her body against his, almost sitting on his lap. Soon he saw his hand sliding inside the front of her dress, stroking her breasts. He could barely believe his own boldness. 

“Thorin…” she whispered breathlessly, as she welcomed his touch. 

Unable to restrain herself any longer, she turned around and sat down on his pelvis, hugging his torso with her legs before she crashed a passionate kiss on his lips. It was Thorin’s turn to grunt and mumble her name as his hands started to find their way to her legs underneath her dress. He was sliding his hands through her unshaven legs as the intensity of their kisses increased. Meanwhile, she was clumsily trying to remove his tunic. It was then he decided that he had to pull away from her and moved to sit down at the edge of the bed.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, confused.

“I fear I won’t be able to stop if we carry on…” he answered without looking her in the eyes.

“You know that I would never let you do something I don’t feel comfortable with, right?”

“Katniss…” he turned over to face her again. “Unless you are ready to take your rightful place as my wife, we should not do this.”

“Thorin, I already told you I don’t want to get married…”

“Aye. But according to my people’s customs and traditions, we would only be allowed to be doing what we did tonight if you had accepted my court and we both had agreed and signed a courting agreement.”

“What?” she gasped “Thorin, I’m not ready! And I don’t know if I ever will be…”

“That is exactly why I had to stop, Mizin,” he said, daring to get closer to her again. “For us dwarves, the actual marriage happens when the union is consummated. This is why only couples that have already publicly expressed their desire of being together are allowed to share moments like the one we just shared. Contracts, courting gifts are only mere details, but what really makes the marriage valid is when the couple consummates the union.”

“You mean having sex?”

“Aye.”

She stood back, considering the information he had dumped on her. 

“The wizard is right. Our traditions are too different for you…” And then he took two tiny mithril beads that were hidden on the chain around his neck, alongside the key to Erebor’s secret door and handed them to her.

“My Mockingjay?” she asked after she noticed the replication of her famous token in one of the beads. The other had runes that she failed to recognize.

“I wear yours and you wear mine. It is tradition. Any dwarf that sees you wearing my bead would know they were talking to the Queen of Erebor.”

She looked from the beads she was holding back to him. 

“Where did you get this?”

“Gloin helped me craft this back in Rivendell…”

She gasped. 

“Thorin… I…” she started, but she failed to convey her thoughts into words. 

She handed him back the two beads, who quickly tied them back on the chain around his neck with his father’s key.

“Don’t worry, Mizin. I gave you my word. We shall do this at your pace and your way. But there are some things that not even I can change. Only give yourself to me if you feel ready to take your rightful place as my wife. There will be no turning back after that.”

She nodded solemnly and raised her hand to stroke his cheek. He grabbed it and placed a tender kiss on her fingers. She hugged him, kissed his jawline. Soon, she was pulling him to lay on her bed.

“Sleep here tonight. Please?” 

“Are you saying you want to…”

“No! I mean, just sleep. Please? I hate being left on my own. My nightmares, you see…”

He took a deep breath. 

“Do you realise that if we do this, my men will assume that we are indeed consummating our union? They will be leaving a wedding brunch by your door before we can even leave this room.”

“Yeah, but... well.” 

“Some may assume I have dishonoured you and refused to give you my bead…”

“Does it really matter? We are the ones who know what is happening, so…”

He sighed again.

“Please?” she begged with her pleading grey eyes. 

“All right. This is sure to bring us a lot of trouble. I am warning you.”

“I don’t care,” she said, turning her back to him at the same time she grabbed his arm, making him hug her from behind. “As long as we can carry on spending moments like this, I don’t care about what they say…”

He knew this reckless action would come biting him back the next morning. But her invitation was too good to refuse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song is from “The ballad of songbirds and snakes”. If you want to hear the Hunger Games universe songs, I recommend going to Maiah Wynne’s Youtube or Spotify channels, ‘cause the chick is amazing! 
> 
> Now please, review? Xx


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